Compare towns
Bridgeport vs Plainfield vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgeport has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Fairfield has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Bridgeport | Plainfield | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 149,153Highest |
15,141Lowest |
63,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 36.7±0.7Lowest 11% below CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
40.1±0.9Highest about the CT average |
| Fairfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±0.8 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
24%±1.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±0.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±1Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
71.1%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.7 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
11%±0.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,685±$2kLowest 39% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$172,432±$8kHighest 80% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,900±$9k 25% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$780,500±$32kHighest 113% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,450±$35 about the CT average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$2,185±$134Highest 47% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,496 about the CT average |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.5%±3Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
53.5%±7.7 CT: 52.6% |
| Bridgeport and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
4.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
83.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1960 7 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 15% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
33 minHighest 24% above CT |
| Work from home | 7.6%±1Lowest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
28.4%±1.9Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #148 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #21 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · The Bridge Academy District | Plainfield School District | Fairfield School District |
| High school in town | Central High School | Plainfield High School | Fairfield Ludlowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.6Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.