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Plainfield vs Wayne Township

22 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+16.3 pts in Plainfield) and trails (3× in Wayne Township).

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Plainfield, ILHomes around $429KIllinois · 46,708 people
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Wayne Township, ILHomes around $788KDuPage County · 63,881 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $2,670 more a month in Wayne Township

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Plainfield$3,040/mo
Typical home $429K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.20% · or rent about $2,119/mo · Housing →
Wayne Township$5,710/mo
Typical home $788K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.40% · or rent about $1,750/mo · Housing →

The difference: $2,670 a month, about $32,100 a year, between Wayne Township and Plainfield.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Illinois ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
PlainfieldWayne Township
Snow a year29″46″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)43rd27th
Outdoors & history
PlainfieldWayne Township
Conserved land7%27.3%
Settled18161958
National Register places4—
Archive photos126
Famous people born here153
Community
PlainfieldWayne Township
Library hours a week62 hrs68 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

22 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PlainfieldWayne TownshipPlainfieldWayne Township
Plainfield ↔ Wayne Township22 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

PlainfieldWayne Township
People
Population 46,708Lowest 63,881Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +13.1%Highest -3.2%Lowest
Median age 37.5±0.9Lowest 4% below IL 40.8±0.9Highest 5% above IL
Kids under 18 28.5%±2.1Highest IL: 21.8% 22.3%±1.4Lowest IL: 21.8%
Age 65+ 9.9%±1Lowest IL: 17% 14.9%±0.9Highest IL: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 56%Highest IL: 37.8% 47.2%Lowest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.9%±1Lowest IL: 6.3% 6.1%±0.8Highest IL: 6.3%
Wayne Township and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $144,000±$9kHighest 73% above IL $136,513±$5kLowest 64% above IL
Plainfield and Wayne Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $431,400±$8kHighest 64% above IL $371,300±$6kLowest 41% above IL
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,119±$188Highest 66% above IL $1,750±$90Lowest 37% above IL
Property taxmedian, yearly $9,490Highest 79% above IL $8,911Lowest 68% above IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.6%±8.2Lowest IL: 47.9% 66.3%±9.3Highest IL: 47.9%
Below poverty line 4.2%Lowest IL: 11.8% 4.3%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88%Lowest IL: 67.1% 91.7%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 2003Highest 32 yrs newer than IL 1987Lowest 16 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 33 minHighest 20% above IL 29 minLowest 4% above IL
Work from home 23.3%±2.4Highest IL: 15.9% 17.1%±1.7Lowest IL: 15.9%
Work in townworking residents 8.8%Highest 4.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.3 miHighest 11.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.63Highest 0.45Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Chicago (15%)Chicago (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Wayne TownshipFew work in Plainfield
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7%Lowest 27.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 12.3 miLowest 36.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miLowest 1.0 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 54Lowest 58Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 64.3Highest 48.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#106 of 384 in IL
School district —Benjamin SD 25 · CCSD 93
High school in town —Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 14.3
Illinois average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Plainfield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Plainfield’s Town Square.

Wayne Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wayne Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Plainfield

Towns like Plainfield

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Illinois towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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