Compare towns
Plainfield vs Norwell vs Wauregan
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Norwell has the most expensive homes ($866k median).
Wauregan has the most renters (39.4% 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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Norwell | Wauregan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
11,361 |
1,049Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+27.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
39.2±1.4Highest about the U.S. average |
32±5.9Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Norwell 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 U.S.: 22% |
28.5%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±9.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Norwell and Wauregan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.2%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Norwell 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% |
69.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Norwell 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. |
$188,699±$25kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$79,545±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$865,700±$35kHighest 160% above U.S. |
$262,700±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,215±$336Highest 57% above U.S. |
$1,254±$476 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,649Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.1%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.4%±19.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Norwell 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
60.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #131 of 149 in CT | #80 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Norwell | — |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Norwell High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
11.7Highest |
— |
| 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.