What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).

Meriden has the most renters (39.9% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainfield	Meriden
People
Population	15,141Lowest	60,545Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	0% CT: +0.9%
Median age	37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT	38.9±1.3Highest 5% below CT
	Meriden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%
	Meriden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.6%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5%	16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Plainfield and Meriden 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%	22.2%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1%	5.6%±0.9 CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,993±$8kHighest 20% below CT	$71,253±$4kLowest 26% below CT
	Plainfield and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,100±$16kHighest 26% below CT	$241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT	$1,294±$72Highest 13% below CT
	Meriden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,209Lowest 37% below CT	$5,129Highest 23% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6%	53.4%±4.9Highest CT: 52.6%
	Meriden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Lowest CT: 10%	13.2%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Highest CT: 66.5%	60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT	1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the CT average	23 minLowest 13% below CT
Work from home	10%±4Highest CT: 16%	8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16%
	Plainfield and Meriden 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	#124 of 149 in CT
School district	Plainfield School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District
High school in town	Plainfield High School	Francis T. Maloney High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	16.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.