Plainfield, New Jersey
Among the top 15% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 2% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 5% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 45% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 85% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 51% of US places
- top 2% for walkability
- top 7% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for estimated total tax burden
Plainfield is a mid-size city in New Jersey with about 54,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and school quality. It rates lower on property tax rate and estimated total tax burden.
Official websiteplainfield.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
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cool
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warm
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cold
v.cold
58%47%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.6 in3.7 in
humid 95%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$71k62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$63kbetter than 9% of US places
Home Value$352k82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 15% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 10% of US places
Property Tax Rate2.75%better than 2% of US places
Income Tax10.70%better than 11% of US places
Sales Tax6.60%better than 71% of US places
Estimated total tax burden26.57%better than 1% of US places
Unemployment10.3%better than 13% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)31°F47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.7 in74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall21.4 inbetter than 44% of US places
Sunny Days170 daysbetter than 6% of US places
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 50% of US places
Comfortable Days73 daysbetter than 28% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk78.4better than 29% of US places
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 67% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime1487/100kbetter than 17% of US places
Property Crime1317/100kbetter than 36% of US places
Community
Population54,35898th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.116th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6898th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0768th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+367th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)8.1%4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)35.0%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)52.4%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.8%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.7%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time31 minbetter than 23% of US places
Walkability14.6/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance14 mibetter than 93% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.4%better than 70% of US places
Amenities Nearby46.54better than 38% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 49% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Plainfield an affordable place to live?
- Plainfield is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $63k, better than 9% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Plainfield?
- The median home value in Plainfield is $352k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Plainfield?
- Median household income in Plainfield is $71k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Plainfield?
- Median gross rent in Plainfield is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Plainfield safe?
- Plainfield is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1487/100k (better than 17%). Property crime is 1317/100k.
- What is the weather like in Plainfield?
- Plainfield averages 76°F in July and 31°F in January, with 48.7 in of annual precipitation and about 170 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Plainfield?
- Public-school quality in Plainfield is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Plainfield?
- The average one-way commute in Plainfield is 31 min.
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)