What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hartford has the most renters (74.3% rent).

Plainville has the most homeowners (67.7%).

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	Plainville
People
Population	121,127Highest	17,551Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	33.1±0.6Lowest 19% below CT	44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT
Kids under 18	22.7%±1.1Highest CT: 20.2%	15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	12.2%±0.8Lowest CT: 18.5%	20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.4%Lowest CT: 42.5%	30%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.2%±0.7Highest CT: 7.1%	6.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$46,411±$3kLowest 52% below CT	$84,343±$7kHighest 12% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$228,600±$8kLowest 38% below CT	$254,000±$14kHighest 31% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,269±$25Highest 15% below CT	$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT
	Hartford and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,603Lowest 31% below CT	$4,798Highest 28% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.4%±3.4Highest CT: 52.6%	40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line	26.3%Highest CT: 10%	6.5%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	25.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	67.7%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 minHighest 13% below CT	21 minLowest 20% below CT
Work from home	9.4%±1.3Lowest CT: 16%	10.7%±2Highest CT: 16%
	Plainville 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	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Judicial Centers	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.9Highest	11.4Lowest
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.