What stands out worked out from the figures below

Scituate has the most expensive homes ($449k 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	Scituate	Plainfield
People
Population	10,517Lowest	15,141Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S.	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,315±$23kHighest 39% above U.S.	$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S.	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S.	$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S.
	Scituate and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,265Highest 69% above U.S.	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Scituate and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	13.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Scituate 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	#17 of 38 in RI	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Scituate	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Scituate High School	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Highest	10.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.