What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).

Cumberland has the most expensive homes ($431k median).

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	Cumberland
People
Population	15,141Lowest	36,820Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+8.7% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.	43.5±1.2Highest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Cumberland and Plainfield 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%	18.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Cumberland and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Cumberland 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 5% below U.S.	$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.	$431,000±$15kHighest 30% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,379±$109Highest about the U.S. average
	Cumberland and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.	$4,870Highest 56% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	47.9%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Cumberland and Plainfield 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%	3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	76.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Cumberland and Plainfield 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	#18 of 38 in RI
School district	Plainfield School District	Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland
High school in town	Plainfield High School	Cumberland High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	13.6Highest
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.