Compare towns
Cornwall vs Plainfield vs Lyme vs West Cornwall
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($630k median).
West Cornwall has the highest household income ($175k).
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 | Cornwall | Plainfield | Lyme | West Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,425 |
15,141Highest |
2,303 |
70Lowest |
| Median age | 53.9±5.1 31% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
55.6±3.3 35% above CT |
61.3±14.1Highest 49% above CT |
| West Cornwall and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
8.6%±49.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±2.5 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
30.7%±4.5 CT: 18.5% |
44.3%±50.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| West Cornwall and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.1% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
63.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
57.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±21.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,864±$34k 35% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$135,000±$22k 41% above CT |
$175,156±$54kHighest 83% above CT |
| West Cornwall and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $554,600±$106k 51% above CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$629,900±$105kHighest 72% above CT |
$395,800±$64k 8% above CT |
| Lyme and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,047±$121Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,719±$1kHighest 16% above CT |
— |
| Lyme and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,792 13% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
$7,328Highest 10% above CT |
$3,056Lowest 54% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.8%±31.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
32.9%±44.3 CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Cornwall and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
2.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
90.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
83.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 8 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1967 same as CT |
1938Lowest 29 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
24 minLowest 11% below CT |
| Work from home | 32.4%±13.6Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
27.6%±10 CT: 16% |
14.6%±12.8 CT: 16% |
| Cornwall and Lyme 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 | Cornwall School District | Plainfield School District | Regional School District 18 | — |
| 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 | 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.