Compare towns
Southington vs Plainfield vs Cheshire
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Southington has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Cheshire has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Southington | Plainfield | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,803Highest |
15,141Lowest |
29,040 |
| Median age | 45±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
44.9±1.4 9% above CT |
| Southington and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
21.9%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Cheshire and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±1.6 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21.3%±1.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Cheshire and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.4% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
60.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Southington and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,309±$9k 30% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$146,528±$12kHighest 53% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,800±$10k about the CT average |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$440,000±$17kHighest 20% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,472±$77Highest about the CT average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,398±$116 6% below CT |
| Southington and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,206 7% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$7,755Highest 17% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±8.6 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±6.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Cheshire and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
29 minHighest 9% above CT |
| Work from home | 17.3%±2.9 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Cheshire and Southington 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 | #51 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #18 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Southington School District | Plainfield School District | Cheshire School District |
| High school in town | Southington High School | Plainfield High School | Cheshire High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.6 |
| 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.