Compare towns
Worcester vs Ashby vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Ashby has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Worcester | Ashby | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831Lowest |
3,211Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Lowest 21% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashby and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #200 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.