Compare towns
Middlefield vs Prospect vs Plainfield vs Beacon Falls
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).
Prospect has the highest household income ($126k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
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.
| Measure | Middlefield | Prospect | Plainfield | Beacon Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,243Lowest |
9,458 |
15,141Highest |
6,147 |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
46.8±3.9 14% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
48.4±3.8 18% above CT |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Prospect 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% |
24.5%±4.3 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Prospect 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% |
40.3% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
44.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2 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 |
$126,394±$18kHighest 32% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$101,516±$42k 6% above CT |
| Prospect and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,000±$27kHighest about the CT average |
$355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$350,300±$34k 5% below CT |
| Middlefield and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above CT |
$1,800±$433 21% above CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,921±$286 29% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$6,504 about the CT average |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$6,534 about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% CT: 10% |
3.2% CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
85.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1985Highest 18 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 |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16% |
| Beacon Falls and Middlefield 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 | #50 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Regional School District 16 | Plainfield School District | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Woodland Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| 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.