Compare towns
Deep River vs Winchester vs Plainfield vs Beacon Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deep River has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k median).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
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 | Deep River | Winchester | Plainfield | Beacon Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,458Lowest |
10,284 |
15,141Highest |
6,147 |
| Median age | 46.2±5.6 12% above CT |
49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
48.4±3.8 18% above CT |
| Winchester and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.7 CT: 20.2% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±4.1 CT: 18.5% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Winchester and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
44.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,253±$19k 6% below CT |
$66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$101,516±$42kHighest 6% above CT |
| Beacon Falls and Deep River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$26kHighest about the CT average |
$249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$350,300±$34k 5% below CT |
| Deep River and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$185 18% below CT |
$1,174±$116Lowest 21% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,921±$286Highest 29% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,092 8% below CT |
$4,780 28% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$6,534Highest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±22.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Deep River and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% CT: 66.5% |
65.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
85.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below CT |
26 min about the CT average |
27 min about the CT average |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.2%±5.6 CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16% |
| Beacon Falls and Deep River 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 | #70 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Deep River School District · Regional School District 04 | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Plainfield School District | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | Valley Regional High School | Northwestern Regional High School | Plainfield High School | Woodland Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
9.7 |
10.3 |
11.2Highest |
| 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.