What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most people working from home (10%).

Norwich has the most renters (46.2% 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	Norwich
People
Population	15,141Lowest	39,973Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-0.9% CT: +0.9%
Median age	37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT	38.5±1.7Highest 6% below CT
	Norwich 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%	20.9%±1.8Highest CT: 20.2%
	Norwich and Plainfield 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%	16.9%±1.7Highest CT: 18.5%
	Norwich 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%	23.1%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1%	5.6%±1.2 CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,993±$8kHighest 20% below CT	$65,024±$5kLowest 32% below CT
	Plainfield and Norwich 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	$242,300±$11kLowest 34% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT	$1,253±$68Highest 16% below CT
	Norwich 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	$4,703Highest 29% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6%	56.2%±7.2Highest CT: 52.6%
	Norwich 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%	16.7%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Highest CT: 66.5%	53.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT	1957Lowest 10 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the CT average	24 minLowest 9% below CT
Work from home	10%±4Highest CT: 16%	7.2%±2Lowest CT: 16%
	Plainfield and Norwich 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	#133 of 149 in CT
School district	Plainfield School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District
High school in town	Plainfield High School	Norwich Free Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.