Compare towns
Montville vs Plainfield vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montville has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Plainfield has the most renters (26.4% rent).
Salem has the most people working from home (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.
| Measure | Montville | Plainfield | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,950Highest |
15,141 |
4,282Lowest |
| Median age | 42.8±4.1Highest 4% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
40.9±5.4 about the CT average |
| Montville and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
23.2%±5.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Salem and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±2.1 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Salem and Montville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.5% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
50.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±3.3 CT: 7.1% |
| Montville and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,454±$11k about the CT average |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$123,245±$8kHighest 29% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,600±$13k 22% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$403,600±$33kHighest 10% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,187±$99Lowest 20% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,440±$150Highest 3% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,565 31% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$6,668Highest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.4%±8.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
32.1%±26Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Montville and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
6.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8% CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
32 minHighest 19% above CT |
| Work from home | 5.5%±2.2Lowest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
18%±9.6Highest CT: 16% |
| Salem 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 | #95 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #11 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Montville School District | Plainfield School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Montville High School | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
10.3Highest |
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| 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.