Compare towns
Danielson vs Plainfield vs Spencer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danielson has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).
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 | Danielson | Plainfield | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,209Lowest |
15,141Highest |
12,008 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 34.5±3.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
15% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danielson and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,050±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$80,533±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Spencer and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,600±$13kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$382,000±$22kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$194Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Danielson and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,009Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,387Highest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±17.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Spencer and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Spencer 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 | — | #131 of 149 in CT | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | Plainfield High School | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.