Compare towns
Plainfield vs Hampden vs Canterbury
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 kids (19.4% under 18).
Hampden has the most expensive homes ($358k median).
Canterbury has the most people working from home (14.7%).
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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Hampden | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
4,946Lowest |
5,124 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.9±3.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
48.4±4.5 24% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Canterbury 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% |
26.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampden and Canterbury 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% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Hampden 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. |
$104,536±$16kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$103,198±$6k 28% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Canterbury 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. |
$358,200±$16kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$334,200±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Hampden and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,132±$107 20% below U.S. |
$924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$6,181Highest 98% above U.S. |
$4,140Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.9%±42.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±13Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canterbury 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canterbury 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 | #199 of 282 in MA | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Hampden-Wilbraham | Canterbury 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.