City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Plainfield, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Plainfield - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

45,705
Residents
$142,265
Median income
$398,000
Median home
$2,050
Median rent (state)

Plainfield - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Plainfield places in the 93rd percentile for household income and the 75th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

93rd
percentile, household income
77th
percentile, home value
84th
percentile, median rent
75th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Plainfield, IL

Illinois's Plainfield is a small city, with 45,705 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Plainfield brings in $142,265 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.6%. Typical homes in Plainfield are valued around $398,000, and the median resident age is 37.3 years. 54.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 69.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 460 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 128% from five years earlier. Plainfield reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 741.1 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Illinois scores 100.0 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,050 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $240 across Illinois, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 80.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

45,705 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$142,265 /yr

Poverty 2.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Plainfield compare to other US cities?

Plainfield measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 93% higher than other cities
Home value 77% pricier than other cities
Median rent 84% pricier than other cities
Safety 75% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Illinois and the picture shifts: Plainfield ranks #179 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Plainfield's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Illinois, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

93rdIncome percentile
75thSafety percentile

93rd percentile nationally for median household income · 75th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Plainfield's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Plainfield's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 63 Avg. percentile National median
Plainfield's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Plainfield's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$398,000 23rd percentile more affordable than 23% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Plainfield $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Plainfield, IL Plainfield, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Plainfield, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Plainfield, IL median $142,265/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Plainfield, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Plainfield, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 54.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
45,705
Median Income
$142,265
Median Home Value
$398,000
Median Age
37.3
Poverty Rate
2.6%
Labor force participation
69.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
54.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
741.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
58.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
683.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
29
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
44,000 residents46,000 residents48,000 residents50,000 residents52,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 44,955 residents 50,043 residents ▲ +11.3%
Plainfield's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
460
housing units authorized
Single-Family
460
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
10.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 202
2020 256
2021 356
2022 419
2023 390
2024 460

Permit volume increased 128% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.6%
Carpool
4.5%
Public Transit
1.6%
Walk
0.4%
Work from Home
21.3%
Other
1.6%

Based on 23,410 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Plainfield sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,050/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.2 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Elmhurst
45,538 people
Glenview
47,682 people
Lombard
43,722 people
Buffalo Grove
42,824 people
Moline
42,235 people
Belleville
41,722 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Plainfield's 45,705 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Haltom City, TX
45,681 people
Wentzville, MO
45,734 people
Altamonte Springs, FL
45,657 people
Hackensack, NJ
45,768 people
Pahrump, NV
45,811 people
Keller, TX
45,598 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Plainfield's $142,265 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hillcrest, NY
$142,260 median income
North Massapequa, NY
$142,274 median income
Hillsborough, NJ
$142,275 median income
Stepney, CT
$142,250 median income
Crystal Lake Park, MO
$142,292 median income
Burlington, MA
$142,207 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Plainfield, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Plainfield, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 72.3% 9.0% 9.3% 6.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.9% White 72.3% Black or African American 9.0% Asian 9.3% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.5% Two or more races 6.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Plainfield compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Plainfield (this city) 45,705 $142,265
Elmhurst 45,538 $145,374
Glenview 47,682 $138,758
Lombard 43,722 $97,253
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Plainfield, IL?

What is the population of Plainfield, IL? +

45,705 people live in Plainfield, IL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Plainfield, IL? +

Plainfield households earn a median of $142,265 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Plainfield? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Plainfield; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

Is Plainfield, IL safe? +

Plainfield has a total crime rate of 741.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Plainfield, IL? +

Homes in Plainfield carry a median value of $398,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.