What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.8%).

Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($318k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainfield	Plainfield
People
Population	1,016Lowest	1,314Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S.	48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	16.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,673±$6kHighest 12% below U.S.	$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S.
	Plainfield 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±$17kLowest 53% below U.S.	$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S.	$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S.	$4,806Highest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.6%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Plainfield and Plainfield 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%	11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	11.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.