What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has the highest household income ($159k).

Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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.

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

Measure	Durham	Plainfield
People
Population	7,208Lowest	15,141Highest
Median age	45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT	37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2%
	Plainfield and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5%	16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Durham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	15%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%
	Plainfield and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$158,857±$7kHighest 66% above CT	$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT	$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,154±$448Lowest 22% below CT	$1,204±$70Highest 19% below CT
	Plainfield and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,998Highest 20% above CT	$4,209Lowest 37% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.9%±28.4Highest CT: 52.6%	39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Durham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Lowest CT: 10%	8.7%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.2%Highest CT: 66.5%	73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT	1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 13% below CT	27 minHighest about the CT average
Work from home	20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16%	10%±4Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#88 of 149 in CT	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 13	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Coginchaug Regional High School	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	10.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.