Compare towns
Dummer vs Middlesex vs Plainfield vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummer has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Plainfield has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Columbia has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
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 | Dummer | Middlesex | Plainfield | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 299Lowest |
1,943Highest |
1,314 |
683 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
51.8±10.1 33% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.9%±8.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Columbia and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Columbia and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$21k 13% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$57,917±$13kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,200±$51k 27% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$196,400±$29kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$792±$333Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,898 7% below U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$2,009Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
9.1%±95.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.