Compare towns
Middlebury vs Plainfield vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Waterbury has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Middlebury | Plainfield | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,807Lowest |
15,141 |
114,869Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +3.7% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 44.4±2.3Highest 8% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
37.8±1.3 8% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.8 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
23.2%±1.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Waterbury and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
15.3%±0.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Middlebury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
17.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±2.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±0.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,487±$26kHighest 39% above CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$51,886±$2kLowest 46% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,400±$23kHighest 30% above CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$208,500±$6kLowest 43% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $398±$387Lowest 73% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,225±$38Highest 18% below CT |
| Waterbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,434Highest 27% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$5,449 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12.7%±6.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
58.6%±4.2Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
24.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
47.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
28 minHighest 6% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.3%±3.2Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
8.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 16% |
| Middlebury and Plainfield 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 | #55 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #144 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 15 | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Crosby High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
17.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.