Compare towns
Plainfield vs Lancaster vs Ansonia vs Putnam
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 youngest population (median age 37).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Ansonia has the most renters (41.9% rent).
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Lancaster | Ansonia | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
8,606Lowest |
19,033Highest |
9,292 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
40.1±1.6 3% above U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Putnam and Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Putnam 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% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$85,877±$10k 6% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$287,200±$14k 14% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,476±$121 4% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$5,446 75% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.7%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #131 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #142 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Nashoba | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Ansonia School District | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | Emmett O'Brien Technical High School | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
— | 12.2Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.