Compare towns
Plainfield vs Reading vs Montville
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 youngest population (median age 37).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Montville has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Reading | Montville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Lowest |
25,612Highest |
17,950 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.8±4.1 10% above U.S. |
| Reading and Montville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Montville 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% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Montville 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 5% below U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$96,454±$11k 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$285,600±$13k 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,187±$99Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$4,565 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montville and Plainfield 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #131 of 149 in CT | #50 of 282 in MA | #95 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Montville School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | — | Montville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Highest |
— | 9.2Lowest |
| 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.