Compare towns

Plainfield vs Fairfield vs Bridgewater

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 people working from home (11.5%).
Fairfield has the most expensive homes ($321k median).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($80k median).

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.

MeasurePlainfieldFairfieldBridgewater
People
Population
1,016
1,938Highest
543Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
34.5±6.6
11% below U.S.
42.3±2.7Highest
9% above U.S.
33.1±6.8Lowest
15% below U.S.
Fairfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
15.6%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
25.4%±5Highest
U.S.: 22%
21%±6.4
U.S.: 22%
Fairfield and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
14.5%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.3%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
12%±7.2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Plainfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
28.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
30.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
10.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
14.9%±11.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.9%±3.5
U.S.: 6.4%
Plainfield and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$70,673±$6k
12% below U.S.
$87,019±$22kHighest
8% above U.S.
$35,694±$8kLowest
56% below U.S.
Fairfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$155,100±$17k
53% below U.S.
$320,600±$22kHighest
4% below U.S.
$80,000±$43kLowest
76% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$750±$207
47% below U.S.
$1,056±$441Highest
25% below U.S.
$735±$16Lowest
48% below U.S.
Fairfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,667
14% below U.S.
$4,816Highest
54% above U.S.
$2,167Lowest
31% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
40.6%±43.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
29.2%±20.4
U.S.: 51.1%
3.1%±38.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Plainfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
5.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
28.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
88.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
69.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
1984Highest
4 yrs newer than U.S.
1948Lowest
32 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
24 minLowest
8% below U.S.
25 min
7% below U.S.
Work from home
11.5%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.8%±3
U.S.: 15.1%
2.8%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Plainfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district — Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 —
High school in town — None in town —
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.