What stands out worked out from the figures below

Clinton has the most expensive homes ($387k median).

Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).

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	Clinton	Plainfield
People
Population	15,563Highest	15,141Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13.4% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	38.6±2.7Highest about the U.S. average	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
	Clinton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Plainfield and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.9%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Clinton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,781±$10kHighest 11% above U.S.	$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S.
	Clinton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$387,300±$19kHighest 16% above U.S.	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,402±$76Highest about the U.S. average	$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,654Highest 49% above U.S.	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Clinton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	54.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 13% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	14.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Clinton and Plainfield 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	#246 of 282 in MA	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Clinton	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Clinton Senior High	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	10.3Lowest
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.