What stands out worked out from the figures below

Deerfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).

Plainfield has the most kids (19.4% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Deerfield	Plainfield
People
Population	5,158Lowest	15,141Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	51.8±3.6Highest 33% above U.S.	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	13.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Deerfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Deerfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,136±$14kHighest 31% above U.S.	$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$414,900±$37kHighest 25% above U.S.	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,334±$318Highest 6% below U.S.	$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S.
	Deerfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,824Highest 87% above U.S.	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.1%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Plainfield and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 33% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	17.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Deerfield 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	#156 of 282 in MA	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Deerfield · Frontier	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Frontier Regional	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	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.