Compare towns

Plainfield vs Orange vs Sutton

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 most affordable homes ($272k median).
Orange has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).

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.

MeasurePlainfieldOrangeSutton
People
Population
15,141Highest
14,315
9,452Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — —
+4.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
45.6±2.4Highest
17% above U.S.
44.3±2.5
14% above U.S.
Orange and Sutton 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%
22.9%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.6%±3.3
U.S.: 22%
Orange and Sutton 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%
23%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.8%±3.2
U.S.: 17.2%
Orange and Sutton 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%
59.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
52.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.5%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Plainfield and Orange 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.
$142,325±$10k
76% above U.S.
$147,125±$25kHighest
82% above U.S.
Sutton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$272,100±$16kLowest
18% below U.S.
$491,500±$17k
48% above U.S.
$523,100±$47kHighest
57% above U.S.
Sutton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
$2,172±$161Highest
54% above U.S.
$1,190±$401Lowest
16% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,209Lowest
35% above U.S.
$8,988Highest
188% above U.S.
$6,763
117% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39.8%±9.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
64%±12.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
47.5%±24.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Orange and Sutton 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%
3.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
89.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
89.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1964Lowest
16 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
28 min
4% above U.S.
30 minHighest
12% above U.S.
Work from home
10%±4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.6%±2.9
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #131 of 149 in CT #38 of 149 in CT #105 of 282 in MA
School district Plainfield School District Orange School District · Regional School District 05 Sutton
High school in town Plainfield High School None in town Sutton High School
Students per teacherat that high school
10.3Lowest
—
12.6Highest
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.