Compare towns
Plainfield vs Exeter vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most renters (26.4% rent).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($509k median).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
7,195 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.7±5.9 3% below U.S. |
39.4±5.9Highest about the U.S. average |
| Sterling and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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 5% below U.S. |
$111,250±$30kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$509,200±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,317±$307Highest 7% below U.S. |
— |
| Exeter 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. |
$5,881Highest 89% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Sterling 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 | #14 of 38 in RI | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Exeter-West Greenwich | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.