Compare towns
Middlefield vs Orange vs Plainfield vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k median).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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.
| Measure | Middlefield | Orange | Plainfield | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,243Lowest |
14,315 |
15,141Highest |
5,300 |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
51.3±10.3 25% above CT |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Middlefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,837±$20k 4% above CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$127,000±$30k 33% above CT |
| Orange and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,000±$27k about the CT average |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above CT |
$2,172±$161 46% above CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853 3% above CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$5,228 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Orange 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 | #65 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Plainfield School District | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.