What stands out worked out from the figures below

Baltimore has the highest household income ($108k).

Plainfield has the most kids (15.6% under 18).

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	Baltimore	Plainfield
People
Population	361Lowest	1,016Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+0.8% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	51.2±10.3Highest 32% above U.S.	34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S.
	Baltimore and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	8.9%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Baltimore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.7%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Baltimore and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	28.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Baltimore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,500±$16kHighest 33% above U.S.	$70,673±$6kLowest 12% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$219,400±$27kHighest 34% below U.S.	$155,100±$17kLowest 53% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$750±$207 47% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,329Highest 39% above U.S.	$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.7%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	40.6%±43.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Plainfield and Baltimore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977 3 yrs older than U.S.	1977 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 21% below U.S.	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	9.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	11.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainfield and Baltimore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.