Compare towns
Worcester vs Meredith vs Plainfield vs Montgomery
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%).
Meredith has the highest household income ($86k).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Montgomery has the most expensive homes ($323k 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 | Meredith | Plainfield | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
1,467Highest |
1,314 |
1,047 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Lowest 21% above U.S. |
54.3±4.6Highest 40% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
51.5±11.3 32% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Montgomery 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%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Meredith 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% |
30.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Montgomery and Meredith 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% |
33.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Montgomery 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. |
$85,938±$16kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Worcester 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. |
$230,600±$24kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$323,200±$45kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$794±$175Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
$868±$209 39% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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. |
$3,630Lowest 16% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,326 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±53.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.6%±68Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield 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% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±5.9 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 | ||||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.