Plainfield vs Westfield
Plainfield, New Jersey versus Westfield, New Jersey: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Westfield edges out Plainfield on overall objective livability (48 vs 38 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Plainfield | Westfield |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | $203k |
| Cost of Living | $63k | $63k |
| Home Value | $352k | $890k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.75% | 1.12% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 26.57% | 17.80% |
| Unemployment | 10.3% | 4.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 31°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.7 in | 50.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.4 in | 26.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 170 days | 170 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 73 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 78.4 | 52.1 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1487/100k | 137/100k |
| Property Crime | 1317/100k | 761/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 54,358 | 30,839 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 40.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.68 | 0.36 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.07 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+36 | D+36 |
| White (%) | 8.1% | 77.3% |
| Black (%) | 35.0% | 2.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 52.4% | 8.4% |
| Asian (%) | 0.8% | 8.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.7% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 36 min |
| Walkability | 14.6/20 | 13.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 14 mi | 9 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.4% | 96.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 46.54 | 154.67 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Plainfield or Westfield more affordable?
- Westfield has the lower cost of living: its index is $63k, compared with Plainfield's $63k and Westfield's $63k. Median rent is $2k in Plainfield versus $2k in Westfield.
- Is Plainfield or Westfield safer?
- Westfield has the lower violent crime rate. Plainfield reports 1487/100k and Westfield reports 137/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Plainfield or Westfield?
- The median home value is $352k in Plainfield and $890k in Westfield, so homes are more affordable in Plainfield.