Compare towns
Exeter vs Proctor vs Wallingford 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 people working from home (14.4%).
Proctor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Wallingford has the most expensive homes ($262k median).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 34.5).
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 | Proctor | Wallingford | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 913Lowest |
1,586 |
2,286Highest |
1,016 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±12.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
47.3±8.9 22% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8 18% above U.S. |
34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Proctor 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% |
17.2%±5 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Wallingford 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% |
23.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
28%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Proctor 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. |
$75,060±$12k 7% below U.S. |
$80,230±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$70,673±$6kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Wallingford 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±$89k 27% below U.S. |
$206,000±$20k 38% below U.S. |
$261,900±$44kHighest 21% below U.S. |
$155,100±$17kLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Wallingford 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. |
$1,059±$200Highest 25% below U.S. |
$891±$95 37% below U.S. |
$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Proctor and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,926 6% below U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$4,355Highest 40% above U.S. |
$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.4%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.6%±43.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Proctor 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.4%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | — |
| 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.