What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainville has the most kids (15.6% under 18).

Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).

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	Thompson
People
Population	17,551Highest	9,337Lowest
Median age	44.3±1.5Lowest 8% above CT	54.1±2.2Highest 32% above CT
Kids under 18	15.6%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2%	11.4%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Plainville and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5%	24.4%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5%
	Thompson and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Highest CT: 42.5%	21.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1%	2.9%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT	$93,629±$18kHighest about the CT average
	Thompson 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	$291,900±$24kHighest 20% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,126±$147Highest 24% below CT	$1,012±$344Lowest 32% below CT
	Plainville and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,798Highest 28% below CT	$3,822Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6%	54%±18.7Highest CT: 52.6%
	Thompson and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Highest CT: 10%	5.9%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	84.3%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT	1963Lowest 4 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 20% below CT	32 minHighest 20% above CT
Work from home	10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16%	13.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16%
	Thompson and Plainville 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	#130 of 149 in CT
School district	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District	Thompson School District
High school in town	Plainville High School	Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	7.9Lowest
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.