Compare towns
Bristol vs Coventry vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the youngest population (median age 37.9).
Coventry has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bristol | Coventry | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,462Highest |
12,326Lowest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT |
45.4±3.8Highest 10% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Coventry and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1.7 CT: 20.2% |
20.9%±3.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Coventry and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.2%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Coventry and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% CT: 42.5% |
45%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±0.9 CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,076±$6kLowest 17% below CT |
$108,213±$5kHighest 13% above CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,800±$8k 24% below CT |
$330,000±$23kHighest 10% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,338±$45Highest 10% below CT |
$1,232±$330 17% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Bristol and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,449Highest 18% below CT |
$5,284 20% below CT |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±5.9 CT: 52.6% |
62.7%±23.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Coventry and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest CT: 10% |
5.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
90.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 same as CT |
1966Lowest 1 yr older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 11.4%±1.7 CT: 16% |
15.6%±4.6Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Coventry and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 149 in CT | #41 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bristol School District | Coventry School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Bristol Central High School | Coventry High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
9.9Lowest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet |
CT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.