What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainfield	Springfield
People
Population	15,141Lowest	154,749Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+1.9% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37±4.5Highest 5% below U.S.	33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	20.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8Lowest 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±$8kHighest 5% below U.S.	$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,100±$16kHighest 18% below U.S.	$245,000±$4kLowest 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.	$3,695Lowest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 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	20 minLowest 23% below U.S.
Work from home	10%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainfield and Springfield 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

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.