Compare towns
Plainfield vs Newark 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
Newark has the most expensive homes ($230k 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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Newark | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,016Highest |
727 |
543Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 34.5±6.6 11% below U.S. |
41.4±6Highest 6% above U.S. |
33.1±6.8Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Newark 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% |
22%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Newark and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newark and Plainfield 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% |
41%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% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest 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. |
$72,929±$7kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$35,694±$8kLowest 56% below U.S. |
| Newark 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. |
$229,900±$23kHighest 31% below U.S. |
$80,000±$43kLowest 76% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $750±$207 47% below U.S. |
$1,708±$97Highest 21% above U.S. |
$735±$16Lowest 48% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,667 14% below U.S. |
$3,771Highest 21% above U.S. |
$2,167Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.6%±43.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
7.1%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
3.1%±38.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
28.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1948Lowest 32 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±8.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newark and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — |
| 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.