What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orange has the highest household income ($119k).

Plainfield has the most renters (19.1% rent).

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	Orange	Plainfield
People
Population	320Lowest	1,314Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-0.6% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±9.1Lowest 6% above U.S.	48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S.
	Plainfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22%	16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Orange and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Plainfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Orange and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$118,750±$39kHighest 47% above U.S.	$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S.
	Orange and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$302,600±$35kLowest 9% below U.S.	$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,153±$103 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,132Highest 65% above U.S.	$4,806Lowest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Plainfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 6% above U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	20.8%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Orange and Plainfield 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.