What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).

Stafford has the oldest population (median age 46.7).

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.

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

Measure	Plainfield	Stafford
People
Population	15,141Highest	11,511Lowest
Median age	37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT	46.7±4.8Highest 14% above CT
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	21.5%±3.1Highest CT: 20.2%
	Stafford 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 CT: 18.5%	22%±3Highest CT: 18.5%
	Stafford and Plainfield 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%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%	3.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Plainfield and Stafford 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	$93,235±$16kHighest about the CT average
	Stafford 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 26% below CT	$263,800±$22kLowest 28% below CT
	Plainfield and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Highest 19% below CT	$1,086±$85Lowest 27% below CT
	Plainfield and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,209Lowest 37% below CT	$5,131Highest 23% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6%	41.5%±12.2Highest CT: 52.6%
	Stafford 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 CT: 10%	7.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%	79.5%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT	1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the CT average	26 minLowest about the CT average
Work from home	10%±4Lowest CT: 16%	11%±3.5Highest CT: 16%
	Stafford 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	#96 of 149 in CT
School district	Plainfield School District	Stafford School District
High school in town	Plainfield High School	Stafford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.