What stands out worked out from the figures below

Essex has the most expensive homes ($552k median).

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	Essex	Plainfield
People
Population	6,794Lowest	15,141Highest
Median age	52.4±3.6Highest 27% above CT	37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT
Kids under 18	16.2%±3.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2%
	Plainfield and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.4%±3.8Highest CT: 18.5%	16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	15%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.7%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1%	5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Essex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,395±$7kHighest 9% above CT	$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$552,000±$53kHighest 50% above CT	$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,623±$326Highest 9% above CT	$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,678Highest 15% below CT	$4,209Lowest 37% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.5%±9.7Lowest CT: 52.6%	39.8%±9.5Highest CT: 52.6%
	Plainfield and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest CT: 10%	8.7%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.1%Highest CT: 66.5%	73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971 4 yrs newer than CT	1971 4 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 3% above CT	27 minLowest about the CT average
Work from home	19.4%±4.6Highest CT: 16%	10%±4Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#33 of 149 in CT	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Essex School District	Plainfield School District
High school in town	None in town	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.3
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.