What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the most expensive homes ($400k median).

Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Plainville
People
Population	16,970Lowest	17,551Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	44.8±1.6Highest 15% above U.S.	44.3±1.5Lowest 14% above U.S.
	Auburn and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Auburn and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainville and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,711±$10kHighest 45% above U.S.	$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$16kHighest 20% above U.S.	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,467±$155Highest 4% above U.S.	$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,289Highest 70% above U.S.	$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±10.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Auburn and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	14.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Auburn and Plainville 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	#106 of 282 in MA	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	Auburn	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	Auburn Senior High	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.