Compare towns
Chesterfield vs Plainfield vs Royalston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterfield has the most people working from home (13.4%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Royalston has the most kids (21.2% 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.
| Measure | Chesterfield | Plainfield | Royalston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,055Lowest |
15,141Highest |
1,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±7.6 14% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47.8±14.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Royalston and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±10Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Royalston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,967±$11kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$102,109±$8k 26% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,800±$48kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$346,300±$18k 4% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$409Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,650±$412Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Royalston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,969Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,196Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.3%±84.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Royalston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chesterfield and Royalston 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 | — | #131 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Chesterfield-Goshen | Plainfield School District | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
— |
| 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.