Compare towns
Plainfield vs Vernon vs Willimantic
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
Vernon has the most people working from home (13.4%).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% 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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Vernon | Willimantic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Lowest |
30,577Highest |
18,096 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 37±4.5 10% below CT |
39.4±2.5Highest 4% below CT |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
| Vernon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
16.9%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Willimantic and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±1.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Vernon 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% |
38%Highest CT: 42.5% |
24.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
7.8%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$85,356±$6kHighest 11% below CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
| Vernon 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±$16k 26% below CT |
$275,500±$11kHighest 25% below CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
| Vernon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,425±$77Highest 4% below CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$5,804Highest 13% below CT |
$4,678 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
39.3%±5.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
13.4% CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
53.2% CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
23 minLowest 12% below CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4 CT: 16% |
13.4%±2.5Highest CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Vernon 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 | #107 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Vernon School District | — |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Rockville High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.