Compare towns
Plainfield vs Townsend 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 most renters (26.4% rent).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
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 | Townsend | Montville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141 |
9,100Lowest |
17,950Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
42.8±4.1Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Montville and Townsend 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%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Townsend 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% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$96,454±$11k 19% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Montville 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$285,600±$13k 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,187±$99Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,565 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.4%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Montville 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townsend 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #95 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | North Middlesex | Montville School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | North Middlesex Regional | Montville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
13.1Highest |
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.