Compare towns
Plainfield vs Preston vs Ansonia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
Ansonia has the most renters (41.9% 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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Preston | Ansonia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141 |
4,821Lowest |
19,033Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -1.7% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
40.1±1.6 about the CT average |
| Preston and Ansonia 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% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
18.3%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Preston 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% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Ansonia 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% |
28.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
21.9% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Ansonia 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 |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$85,877±$10k 10% below CT |
| Preston and Ansonia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$287,200±$14k 22% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,476±$121Highest about the CT average |
| Ansonia and Preston 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 |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$5,446Highest 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.7%±10Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Preston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
9.4%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
58.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1954Lowest 13 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10%±4 CT: 16% |
10.3%±6Highest CT: 16% |
9.1%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
| Preston 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #142 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Preston School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Ansonia School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | Emmett O'Brien Technical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.