What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most people working from home (10%).

Cheshire has the oldest population (median age 53.7).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainfield	Cheshire
People
Population	15,141Highest	3,216Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+0.7% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.	53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%	15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	26.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S.	$69,803±$14kLowest 14% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,100±$16kHighest 18% below U.S.	$268,200±$48kLowest 19% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70 15% below U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,209Highest 35% above U.S.	$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	21.2%±24Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Plainfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	89%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	10%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainfield and Cheshire 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	#131 of 149 in CT	#274 of 282 in MA
School district	Plainfield School District	Hoosac Valley Regional
High school in town	Plainfield High School	Hoosac Valley High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	10.5Highest
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.