What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waterford has the highest household income ($105k).

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	Waterford	Plainfield
People
Population	19,673Highest	15,141Lowest
Median age	46±2.4Highest 12% above CT	37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT
Kids under 18	19.1%±2.5Lowest CT: 20.2%	19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2%
	Plainfield and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±2.1Highest CT: 18.5%	16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.6%Highest CT: 42.5%	15%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5 CT: 7.1%	5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,820±$9kHighest 9% above CT	$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$355,900±$14kHighest about the CT average	$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,651±$153Highest 11% above CT	$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,876Highest 27% below CT	$4,209Lowest 37% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.4%±12Highest CT: 52.6%	39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Waterford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.6%Lowest CT: 10%	8.7%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 1 yr newer than CT	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 18% below CT	27 minHighest about the CT average
Work from home	10.2%±2.2Highest CT: 16%	10%±4Lowest CT: 16%
	Waterford 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	#80 of 149 in CT	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Learn · Waterford School District	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Waterford High School	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	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.