What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairfield has the most expensive homes ($781k 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	Fairfield	Plainfield
People
Population	63,416Highest	15,141Lowest
Median age	40.1±0.9Highest about the CT average	37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT
	Fairfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24%±1.3Highest CT: 20.2%	19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	16.6%±1 CT: 18.5%	16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	71.1%Highest CT: 42.5%	15%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11%±0.7Highest CT: 7.1%	5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,432±$8kHighest 80% above CT	$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$780,500±$32kHighest 113% above CT	$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,185±$134Highest 47% above CT	$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT	$4,209Lowest 37% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.5%±7.7Highest CT: 52.6%	39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Fairfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest CT: 10%	8.7%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.3%Highest CT: 66.5%	73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 24% above CT	27 minLowest about the CT average
Work from home	28.4%±1.9Highest CT: 16%	10%±4Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#21 of 149 in CT	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Fairfield School District	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Fairfield Ludlowe High School	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	10.3Lowest
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.