Residential comparison · 13 facts
Plainfield, NJ vs Westfield, NJ
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Plainfield needs about $87,500 in Westfield to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Westfield, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $82,500 in Plainfield.
A few differences
- Westfield is higher on median household income ($232,629 vs $85,908).
- Plainfield is lower on cost of living index (113 vs 155).
- Plainfield is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,750/mo vs $2,615/mo).
Plainfield vs Westfield · facet by facet
| Facet | Plainfield, NJ | Westfield, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $410,800 | $953,400 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,750/mo | $2,615/mo |
| Property tax rate | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| State & local income tax | 2.26% | 2.26% |
| Sales tax | 6.6% | 6.6% |
| Cost of living index | 113 | 155 |
| Groceries index | 106 | 106 |
| Utilities | $180/mo | $180/mo |
| Median household income | $85,908 | $232,629 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% |
| Crime index | 25/100 | 25/100 |
| School rating | 8.3/10 | 8.3/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 205 days | 205 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Plainfield, NJ · Westfield, NJ
Questions & answers
- Is Plainfield cheaper than Westfield?
- Plainfield has the lower day-to-day cost index (113 vs 155 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Westfield equals $85,000 in Plainfield?
- A household earning $85,000 in Plainfield needs about $87,500 in Westfield to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Westfield lifestyle costs about $82,500 in Plainfield.