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Plainfield, IN

A town of about 36,369 people in Hendricks County, part of the Indianapolis area. Resident comments and photos are about Plainfield; job numbers cover the wider area.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

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Where it is
Plainfield
Plainfield in Indiana
Indiana in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Plainfield's center.

8
grocery stores
55
restaurants
15
coffee shops
45
parks
53
playgrounds
2
libraries
1
movie theater
4
live theaters
6
bookstores
8
gyms
10
bars
5
pharmacies
1
hospital

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Plainfield.

Bike lanes and bike paths
70 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
21 miles
about typical for a U.S. town

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 4,484 rented homes in Plainfield, 93% rent for under $2,000 a month and 100% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 26%
$1,000 to $1,499: 39%
$1,500 to $1,999: 28%
$2,000 to $2,499: 7%
$2,500 to $2,999: 0%
$3,000 or more: 0%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Plainfield rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Indiana

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Indiana DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Indiana voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

6 public school districts in this county, with about 32,704 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Plainfield Community School Corp · Plainfield
5,854 students · 17.7 students per teacher · 9 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Avon Community School Corp · Avon
10,542 students · 16.8 students per teacher · 12 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Brownsburg Community School Corp · Brownsburg
10,172 students · 17.1 students per teacher · 11 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Danville Community School Corp · Danville
2,631 students · 18 students per teacher · 4 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
North West Hendricks Schools · Lizton
1,966 students · 17.9 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Indiana keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in Indiana →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

10 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Plainfield. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Ivy Tech Community College · Indianapolis (metro)
Public, 2-year (community college) · 100,077 students · $4,912 in-state, $9,465 out-of-state
Indiana University-Indianapolis · Indianapolis (metro)
Public, 4-year · 25,497 students · $10,449 in-state, $33,717 out-of-state
Butler University · Indianapolis (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 5,763 students · $45,980 a year
University of Indianapolis · Indianapolis (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 5,447 students · $36,136 a year
Marian University · Indianapolis (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 3,586 students · $39,100 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$293,506
What a typical home sells for across the Indianapolis area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 4% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $96 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 95.7 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 29 min at rush hour
To downtown Indianapolis, IN, 19 miles. About 29 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
25 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Homeowners insurance
About $2,887 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in IN. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
1 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
10.5 per 100,000 people a year
20 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. IN average: 19 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 7 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 4,860 people without housing in the Indiana Balance of State area (92 counties): 3,659 in shelters and 1,201 outside, up from 4,584 in 2024. IN: 9.6 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$99,988
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.83% of home value a year
About $830 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 2.95%
IN's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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