Compare towns
Wallingford vs Plainfield vs Barnet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wallingford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Barnet has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Wallingford | Plainfield | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,286Highest |
1,016Lowest |
1,855 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±10.8 18% above U.S. |
34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
47.7±5.3Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±5 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,230±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$70,673±$6k 12% below U.S. |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Wallingford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $261,900±$44kHighest 21% below U.S. |
$155,100±$17kLowest 53% below U.S. |
$247,900±$24k 25% below U.S. |
| Wallingford and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $891±$95 37% below U.S. |
$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$974±$72Highest 31% below U.S. |
| Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,355 40% above U.S. |
$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$4,489Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.6%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barnet and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barnet and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.