What stands out worked out from the figures below

Meriden has the most renters (39.9% 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	Meriden	Plainfield
People
Population	60,545Highest	15,141Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	38.9±1.3Highest 5% below CT	37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT
	Meriden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%	19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Meriden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%	16.6%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5%
	Plainfield and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Highest CT: 42.5%	15%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.9 CT: 7.1%	5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,253±$4kLowest 26% below CT	$76,993±$8kHighest 20% below CT
	Plainfield and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT	$272,100±$16kHighest 26% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,294±$72Highest 13% below CT	$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT
	Meriden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,129Highest 23% below CT	$4,209Lowest 37% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±4.9Highest CT: 52.6%	39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Meriden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.2%Highest CT: 10%	8.7%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%	73.6%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 7 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	8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16%	10%±4Highest CT: 16%
	Plainfield and Meriden 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	#124 of 149 in CT	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Francis T. Maloney High School	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	16.2Highest	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.