Compare towns
Plainfield vs Columbia vs Ansonia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Ansonia has the most renters (41.9% 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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Columbia | Ansonia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141 |
5,300Lowest |
19,033Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -1.7% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT |
40.1±1.6 about the CT average |
| Columbia and Ansonia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.3%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Ansonia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Columbia and Ansonia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
21.9% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Ansonia and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
$85,877±$10k 10% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$361,500±$16kHighest about the CT average |
$287,200±$14k 22% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
$1,476±$121Highest about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$5,228 21% below CT |
$5,446Highest 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
39.7%±10 CT: 52.6% |
| Plainfield and Ansonia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% CT: 10% |
6.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
9.4%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% CT: 66.5% |
83.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
58.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
1954Lowest 13 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the CT average |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10%±4 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
9.1%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #131 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT | #142 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Columbia School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Ansonia School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | Emmett O'Brien Technical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.