Compare towns
Prospect vs Hamden vs Plainfield vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has the highest household income ($126k).
Hamden has the most people working from home (16.3%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Waterbury has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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.
| Measure | Prospect | Hamden | Plainfield | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,458Lowest |
61,045 |
15,141 |
114,869Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +3.7% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
38.7±0.9 6% below CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
37.8±1.3 8% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
23.2%±1.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Waterbury and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
15.3%±0.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% CT: 42.5% |
47.8%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
17.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±0.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $126,394±$18kHighest 32% above CT |
$98,306±$7k about the CT average |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$51,886±$2kLowest 46% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,400±$21kHighest 3% below CT |
$298,200±$9k 19% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$208,500±$6kLowest 43% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
$1,746±$50 17% above CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,225±$38 18% below CT |
| Prospect and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,504 about the CT average |
$7,784Highest 17% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$5,449 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
58.6%±4.2Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Waterbury and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
9.3% CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
24.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
62.4% CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
47.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
22 minLowest 18% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
28 minHighest 6% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
16.3%±2.1Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
8.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 149 in CT | #122 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #144 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | None in town | Hamden High School | Plainfield High School | Crosby High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
10.3Lowest |
17.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.