What stands out worked out from the figures below

Manchester has the most people working from home (14.3%).

Plainville has the oldest population (median age 44.3).

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	Manchester	Plainville
People
Population	59,635Highest	17,551Lowest
Median age	37±1.2Lowest 10% below CT	44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT
Kids under 18	20%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%	15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%	20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.5%Highest CT: 42.5%	30%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1%	6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1%
	Plainville and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,840±$4kHighest 9% below CT	$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT
	Manchester and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT	$254,000±$14kHighest 31% below CT
	Plainville and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,519±$66Highest about the CT average	$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,652Highest 15% below CT	$4,798Lowest 28% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.1%±6.1Highest CT: 52.6%	40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Manchester and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.8%Highest CT: 10%	6.5%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	67.7%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 15% below CT	21 minLowest 20% below CT
Work from home	14.3%±1.9Highest CT: 16%	10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16%
	Manchester and Plainville 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	#135 of 149 in CT	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	Manchester High School	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	11.4Highest
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.