Compare towns
Worcester vs Athol 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%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($318k median).
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 | Athol | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831Lowest |
8,801Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$67,394±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
| Worcester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173 21% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421 42% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Plainfield 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | — |
| High school 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.