What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hartford has the most renters (74.3% rent).

Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).

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	Hartford	Plainfield
People
Population	121,127Highest	15,141Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	33.1±0.6Lowest 19% below CT	37±4.5Highest 10% below CT
	Plainfield and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.7%±1.1Highest CT: 20.2%	19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Hartford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	12.2%±0.8Lowest CT: 18.5%	16.6%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.4%Highest CT: 42.5%	15%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.2%±0.7Highest CT: 7.1%	5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$46,411±$3kLowest 52% below CT	$76,993±$8kHighest 20% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$228,600±$8kLowest 38% below CT	$272,100±$16kHighest 26% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,269±$25Highest 15% below CT	$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT
	Hartford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,603Highest 31% below CT	$4,209Lowest 37% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.4%±3.4Highest CT: 52.6%	39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line	26.3%Highest CT: 10%	8.7%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	25.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	73.6%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 16 yrs older than CT	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 13% below CT	27 minHighest about the CT average
Work from home	9.4%±1.3Lowest CT: 16%	10%±4Highest CT: 16%
	Plainfield and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#146 of 149 in CT	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Judicial Centers	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.9Highest	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.