What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pomfret has the shortest commute (18 min average).

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

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	Pomfret	Plainfield
People
Population	12,795Highest	1,016Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.9%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+0.8%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	37.5±4Highest 6% below NY	34.5±6.6Lowest 13% below NY
	Pomfret and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.1%±2.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	15.6%±2.8Highest NY: 20.5%
	Plainfield and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.6%±3.3Highest NY: 17.9%	14.5%±2.7Lowest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.4%Highest NY: 40.2%	28.2%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	22.5%±3Highest NY: 7%	14.9%±11.2Lowest NY: 7%
	Pomfret and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$57,746±$10kLowest 33% below NY	$70,673±$6kHighest 18% below NY
	Plainfield and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$185,400±$19kHighest 56% below NY	$155,100±$17kLowest 63% below NY
	Pomfret and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$866±$43Highest 47% below NY	$750±$207Lowest 54% below NY
	Pomfret and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,459Highest 32% below NY	$2,667Lowest 59% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.1%±10.4Highest NY: 52.1%	40.6%±43.5Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Pomfret and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	22.6%Highest NY: 14%	7.8%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%	87.6%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY	1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 45% below NY	29 minHighest 10% below NY
Work from home	11.8%±4Highest NY: 14.9%	11.5%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Pomfret and Plainfield 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	#211 of 484 in NY	—
School district	FREDONIA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	—
High school in town	FREDONIA HIGH SCHOOL	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.