What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ridgefield has the most expensive homes ($836k median).

Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ridgefield	Plainfield
People
Population	25,109Highest	15,141Lowest
Median age	45.1±1.4Highest 10% above CT	37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT
Kids under 18	24.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2%	19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	18.7%±1.9Highest CT: 18.5%	16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Ridgefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	72.6%Highest CT: 42.5%	15%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%
	Plainfield and Ridgefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$179,219±$12kHighest 87% above CT	$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$836,200±$26kHighest 128% above CT	$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,026±$200Highest 36% above CT	$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT	$4,209Lowest 37% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.3%±12Highest CT: 52.6%	39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Ridgefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.5%Lowest CT: 10%	8.7%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest CT: 66.5%	73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT	1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above CT	27 minLowest about the CT average
Work from home	29.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16%	10%±4Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#4 of 149 in CT	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Ridgefield School District	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Ridgefield High School	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	10.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.