Compare towns
Plainfield vs Preston vs Thompson
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).
Thompson has the most people working from home (13.1%).
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 | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
4,821Lowest |
9,337 |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
46.2±7 12% above CT |
54.1±2.2Highest 32% above CT |
| Thompson and Preston 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% |
11.4%±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%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
24.4%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Thompson and Preston 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%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Preston 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 |
$93,629±$18k about the CT average |
| Preston and Thompson 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 |
$291,900±$24k 20% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,012±$344Lowest 32% below CT |
| Preston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 37% below CT |
$4,749Highest 29% below CT |
$3,822Lowest 42% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
54%±18.7Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Thompson and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
84.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1963Lowest 4 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
32 minHighest 20% above CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
13.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
| Thompson and Preston 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 | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Preston School District | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Highest |
— | 7.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.