Compare towns
Prospect vs Hamden vs Plainville
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 most homeowners (93.5%).
Hamden has the most people working from home (16.3%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
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 | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,458Lowest |
61,045Highest |
17,551 |
| Median age | 46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Prospect and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
17%±1.5 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Prospect and Hamden 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%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% CT: 42.5% |
47.8%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,394±$18kHighest 32% above CT |
$98,306±$7k about the CT average |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,400±$21kHighest 3% below CT |
$298,200±$9k 19% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
$1,746±$50 17% above CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% 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 |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
50.9%±5.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Hamden and Prospect 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%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above CT |
22 min 18% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
16.3%±2.1Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 149 in CT | #122 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hamden High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.