Compare towns
North Canaan vs Plainfield vs Ashford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Canaan has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | North Canaan | Plainfield | Ashford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,221Lowest |
15,141Highest |
4,226 |
| Median age | 35.7±5.7Lowest 13% below CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
37.9±10.3Highest 8% below CT |
| Ashford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.5%±7.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
18.5%±5.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| North Canaan and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
18.9%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Ashford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
35.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±3.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,976±$26kLowest 25% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$121,926±$23kHighest 27% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$59kLowest 27% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$334,800±$18kHighest 9% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,146±$152Lowest 23% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,246±$208Highest 16% below CT |
| Ashford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,893Lowest 41% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
$6,982Highest 5% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.1%±14.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
47%±26Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Ashford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
76.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 15% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
34 minHighest 30% above CT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.3 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
19.3%±5.5Highest CT: 16% |
| Ashford and North Canaan 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 | #91 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #90 of 149 in CT |
| School district | North Canaan School District | Plainfield School District | Ashford School District |
| High school 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 |
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.