Compare towns
Worcester vs Surry 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%).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Plainfield has the most renters (19.1% rent).
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 | Surry | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831Lowest |
1,052 |
1,314Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1Lowest 15% above 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% |
20.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Surry 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% |
23.3%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry 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% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Surry 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. |
$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Surry 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±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$331,400±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Surry and Plainfield 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. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$6,384Highest 105% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Surry 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% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1Lowest 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 | |||
| 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.