Compare towns
Exeter vs Orange vs Walden vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($155k 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 | Exeter | Orange | Walden | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 913Lowest |
957 |
1,037Highest |
1,016 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±12.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
50.3±5.3 29% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±10.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,550±$19k 4% below U.S. |
$71,302±$13k 12% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$70,673±$6kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Walden and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$89kHighest 27% below U.S. |
$222,000±$22k 33% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$155,100±$17kLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $867±$44 39% below U.S. |
$1,330±$153Highest 6% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,926 6% below U.S. |
$3,545 14% above U.S. |
$3,944Highest 26% above U.S. |
$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.6%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — |
| High school in town | — | None 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.