Compare towns
Exeter vs Orwell vs Plainfield vs Thurman
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 highest household income ($78k).
Orwell has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.8%).
Thurman has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Orwell | Plainfield | Thurman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 913Lowest |
1,294Highest |
1,016 |
977 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±12.6 33% above U.S. |
47.5±7 22% above U.S. |
34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
52.7±3.8Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Thurman and Exeter 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% |
21.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±10.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thurman and Exeter 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% |
28.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,550±$19kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$70,417±$22k 13% below U.S. |
$70,673±$6k 12% below U.S. |
$58,750±$14kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$89k 27% below U.S. |
$335,600±$25kHighest about the U.S. average |
$155,100±$17kLowest 53% below U.S. |
$197,400±$43k 41% below U.S. |
| Orwell and Exeter 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. |
$1,105±$51 22% below U.S. |
$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$2,175±$599Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,926 6% below U.S. |
$3,914Highest 25% above U.S. |
$2,667 14% below U.S. |
$2,368Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±35.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.6%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.1%±77.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orwell 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% |
10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±8.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thurman and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | — |
| 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.