Compare towns
Meriden vs Plainfield vs Cheshire
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meriden has the most renters (39.9% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Cheshire has the most people working from home (19.1%).
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 | Meriden | Plainfield | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 60,545Highest |
15,141Lowest |
29,040 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.9±1.3 5% below CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
44.9±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.9%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
21.3%±1.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
60.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.9Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,253±$4kLowest 26% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$146,528±$12kHighest 53% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$440,000±$17kHighest 20% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,294±$72 13% below CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,398±$116Highest 6% below CT |
| Cheshire and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,129 23% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$7,755Highest 17% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±4.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±6.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Meriden and Cheshire 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% CT: 10% |
5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
86.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
29 minHighest 9% above CT |
| Work from home | 8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #124 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #18 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District | Plainfield School District | Cheshire School District |
| High school in town | Francis T. Maloney High School | Plainfield High School | Cheshire High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.