What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% under 18).

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	Ryegate
People
Population	1,016Lowest	1,059Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S.	41.2±2.6Highest 6% above U.S.
	Ryegate 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%	23.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	22.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,673±$6kHighest 12% below U.S.	$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Ryegate 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.	$219,300±$32kHighest 34% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S.	$908±$236Highest 36% below U.S.
	Ryegate and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S.	$3,472Highest 11% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.6%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	55.9%±29.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ryegate 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%	14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	28 minLowest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	11.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainfield and Ryegate 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.