What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Norwalk has the most expensive homes ($558k 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	Norwalk
People
Population	15,141Lowest	92,187Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.5% CT: +0.9%
Median age	37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT	40.6±1Highest about the CT average
	Norwalk and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2%	18.8%±1.2Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Plainfield and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5%	17%±1Highest CT: 18.5%
	Norwalk 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 CT: 42.5%	44.8%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	6.7%±0.8Highest CT: 7.1%
	Norwalk 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 20% below CT	$107,616±$7kHighest 12% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT	$558,000±$21kHighest 52% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT	$2,073±$87Highest 39% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,209Lowest 37% below CT	$7,817Highest 18% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6%	52.1%±5.2Highest CT: 52.6%
	Norwalk 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%	9.1%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Highest CT: 66.5%	55.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT	1967Lowest same as CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the CT average	27 minHighest about the CT average
Work from home	10%±4Lowest CT: 16%	15.1%±1.4Highest CT: 16%
	Norwalk 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	#112 of 149 in CT
School district	Plainfield School District	Norwalk School District
High school in town	Plainfield High School	Brien McMahon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	14.7Highest
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.