What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).

Hamden has the most people working from home (16.3%).

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	Plainville	Hamden
People
Population	17,551Lowest	61,045Highest
Median age	44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT	38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	17%±1.5Highest CT: 20.2%
	Hamden and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5%	18.1%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Plainville and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Lowest CT: 42.5%	47.8%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1%	15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT	$98,306±$7kHighest about the CT average
	Hamden and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT	$298,200±$9kHighest 19% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT	$1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,798Lowest 28% below CT	$7,784Highest 17% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6%	50.9%±5.4Highest CT: 52.6%
	Hamden and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Lowest CT: 10%	9.3%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 20% below CT	22 minHighest 18% below CT
Work from home	10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16%	16.3%±2.1Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#89 of 149 in CT	#122 of 149 in CT
School district	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services
High school in town	Plainville High School	Hamden High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT 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.