Compare towns
Lancaster vs Plainfield vs Torrington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Torrington has the most affordable homes ($216k 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.
| Measure | Lancaster | Plainfield | Torrington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Lowest |
15,141 |
35,547Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.9±1.8 10% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$70,856±$5kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$215,500±$8kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,169±$43Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #132 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Nashoba | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Torrington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Torrington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.