Compare towns
Bristol vs Plainfield vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most renters (35.1% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Plainfield | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,462Highest |
15,141 |
9,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.9±1.5 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bristol and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bristol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,076±$6k about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,800±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,338±$45Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,449 75% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bristol and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bristol School District | Plainfield School District | Sutton |
| High school in town | Bristol Central High School | Plainfield High School | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
10.3Lowest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.