What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).

Plainfield has the most kids (16.3% under 18).

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	Middlefield	Plainfield
People
Population	352Lowest	1,314Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-26.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	56.9±3.7Highest 46% above U.S.	48.1±5.5Lowest 24% above U.S.
	Middlefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	4.5%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	16.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.7%±8.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Middlefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	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	$103,750±$23kHighest 29% above U.S.	$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S.
	Middlefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$332,800±$48kHighest about the U.S. average	$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S.
	Middlefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,625±$1kHighest 86% above U.S.	$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S.
	Middlefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,926Highest 58% above U.S.	$4,806Lowest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%	73.2%±53.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middlefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	11.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 13% above U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	13.2%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainfield and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.