What stands out worked out from the figures below

Thomaston has the most kids (20.5% under 18).

Plainville has the most people working from home (10.7%).

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	Thomaston	Plainville
People
Population	7,492Lowest	17,551Highest
Median age	41.5±7.7Lowest about the CT average	44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT
	Plainville and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2%	15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Thomaston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 18.5%	20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5%
	Plainville and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34%Highest CT: 42.5%	30%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2.1Lowest CT: 7.1%	6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1%
	Plainville and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,218±$15kHighest 8% above CT	$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT
	Thomaston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$282,600±$23kHighest 23% below CT	$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT
	Thomaston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT	$1,126±$147Highest 24% below CT
	Plainville and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,915Highest 11% below CT	$4,798Lowest 28% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6%	40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Thomaston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.3%Lowest CT: 10%	6.5%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the CT average	21 minLowest 20% below CT
Work from home	7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16%	10.7%±2Highest CT: 16%
	Plainville and Thomaston 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	#106 of 149 in CT	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	Thomaston School District	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	Thomaston High School	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	11.4Highest
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.