Compare towns
Plainfield vs Royalston vs Canterbury
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).
Royalston has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Canterbury has the most people working from home (14.7%).
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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Royalston | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
1,460Lowest |
5,124 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47.8±14.6 23% above U.S. |
48.4±4.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Royalston 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% |
21.2%±10Highest U.S.: 22% |
15%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Royalston 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%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canterbury and Royalston 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% |
28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Royalston 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. |
$102,109±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$103,198±$6kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Royalston 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. |
$346,300±$18kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$334,200±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Royalston and Canterbury 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. |
$1,650±$412Highest 17% above U.S. |
$924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Royalston and Plainfield 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. |
$3,196Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,140 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±13 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Royalston and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 45% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canterbury and Royalston 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 | — | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Athol-Royalston | Canterbury School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
— | — |
| 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.