What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainville has the most homeowners (67.7%).

New Britain has the most kids (22% 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	Plainville	New Britain
People
Population	17,551Lowest	74,223Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+1.3% CT: +0.9%
Median age	44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT	34.3±1.2Lowest 17% below CT
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	22%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5%	14.6%±1.1Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Highest CT: 42.5%	19.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1%	9.4%±1Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,343±$7kHighest 12% below CT	$58,613±$2kLowest 39% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$254,000±$14kHighest 31% below CT	$223,600±$6kLowest 39% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT	$1,253±$45Highest 16% below CT
	New Britain and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,798Lowest 28% below CT	$5,846Highest 12% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6%	55.2%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6%
	New Britain 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%	18.1%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	45.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 20% below CT	22 minHighest 19% below CT
Work from home	10.7%±2Highest CT: 16%	8%±1.4Lowest CT: 16%
	Plainville and New Britain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#89 of 149 in CT	#149 of 149 in CT
School district	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Capitol Region Education Council
High school in town	Plainville High School	New Britain High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	16.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.