Compare towns
Plainfield vs Quinebaug vs Springfield
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 expensive homes ($272k median).
Quinebaug has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Springfield has the most renters (50.4% 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 | Quinebaug | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141 |
1,193Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
56.5±1Highest 45% above U.S. |
33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
0%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Springfield 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±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$105,181±$36kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Quinebaug and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$237,800±$66kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$245,000±$4k 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
— | $1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,703 19% above U.S. |
$3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±17.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Quinebaug 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 | — | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Springfield |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | — | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
| 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.