Compare towns
Plainfield vs Townsend vs Plainville
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).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 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 | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141 |
9,100Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| 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. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Plainville 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest 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%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Townsend 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% |
30% 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% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% 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. |
$4,798 54% 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% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Plainville 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% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest 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. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainville and Townsend 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 | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | North Middlesex | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | North Middlesex Regional | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
13.1Highest |
11.4 |
| 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.