What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).

West Haven has the most renters (49.4% 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	West Haven
People
Population	15,141Lowest	55,351Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	0% CT: +0.9%
Median age	37±4.5Highest 10% below CT	35.8±1.5Lowest 13% below CT
	Plainfield and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	20.3%±1.9Highest CT: 20.2%
	West Haven and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.6%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5%	16%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Plainfield and West Haven 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%	30.5%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,993±$8kHighest 20% below CT	$74,382±$5kLowest 22% below CT
	Plainfield and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT	$291,700±$9kHighest 20% below CT
	West Haven and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT	$1,442±$43Highest 3% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,209Lowest 37% below CT	$6,941Highest 4% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6%	53.4%±5.8Highest CT: 52.6%
	West Haven 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%	14.1%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Highest CT: 66.5%	50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT	1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the CT average	23 minLowest 14% below CT
Work from home	10%±4Highest CT: 16%	9.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 16%
	Plainfield and West Haven 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	#120 of 149 in CT
School district	Plainfield School District	New Haven School District · West Haven School District
High school in town	Plainfield High School	West Haven High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	15.6Highest
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.