Compare towns
New Haven vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Haven has the most renters (71.6% rent).
Plainville has the most homeowners (67.7%).
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 | New Haven | Plainville |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 134,349Highest |
17,551Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 31.9±0.5Lowest 22% below CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±0.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.9%±0.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $56,851±$4kLowest 41% below CT |
$84,343±$7kHighest 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,100±$16kHighest 22% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,488±$33Highest about the CT average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,430Highest 3% below CT |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±3.2Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 23.9%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 13 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 19% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±1.6Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| New Haven and Plainville 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 | #145 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Common Ground High School District · Elm City Montessori School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Wilbur Cross High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.