Compare towns
Watertown vs Plainfield vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Watertown has the most expensive homes ($334k median).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Thomaston has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Watertown | Plainfield | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,253Highest |
15,141 |
7,492Lowest |
| Median age | 46.3±2.9Highest 13% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
41.5±7.7 about the CT average |
| Watertown and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Thomaston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Watertown and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,691±$7k 6% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$103,218±$15kHighest 8% above CT |
| Thomaston and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,500±$16kHighest 9% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$282,600±$23k 23% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$227Highest 14% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
| Watertown and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,014Highest 9% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$5,915 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±13.3 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.3Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Watertown 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 | #126 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Watertown School District | Plainfield School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Watertown High School | Plainfield High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
10.3Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.