Compare towns
Guilford vs Plainfield vs Sharon vs Leyden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Guilford has the most people working from home (16.7%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Leyden has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Guilford | Plainfield | Sharon | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,461Highest |
1,314 |
1,577 |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.2 20% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
53.2±8.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Leyden and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Guilford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,243±$6k 7% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
$105,893±$13kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,600±$39kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$273 9% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,827 87% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$4,651Lowest 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Guilford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Sharon School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.