Compare towns
Bristol vs Somers vs Southington
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 most affordable homes ($278k median).
Somers has the most homeowners (87.6%).
Southington has the most people working from home (17.3%).
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 | Somers | Southington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,462Highest |
10,308Lowest |
43,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT |
43.1±2.6 5% above CT |
45±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
| Southington and Somers 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% |
21.1%±4.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±1.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Somers 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% |
19.7%±2.3 CT: 18.5% |
21%±1.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Southington and Somers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
37.2% CT: 42.5% |
43.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±0.9 CT: 7.1% |
3.8%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Southington 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 |
$124,705±$15kHighest 30% above CT |
$124,309±$9k 30% above CT |
| Somers and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,800±$8kLowest 24% below CT |
$395,800±$21kHighest 8% above CT |
$373,800±$10k about the CT average |
| Somers and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,338±$45 10% below CT |
$1,184±$346Lowest 20% below CT |
$1,472±$77Highest about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,449Lowest 18% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$6,206 7% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
51.6%±13.9 CT: 52.6% |
43.9%±8.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Bristol and Somers 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% |
2.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
87.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest same as CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
24 min 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 11.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
16.2%±4.6 CT: 16% |
17.3%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
| Southington and Somers 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 | #66 of 149 in CT | #51 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bristol School District | Somers School District | Southington School District |
| High school in town | Bristol Central High School | Somers High School | Southington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
7.7Lowest |
12.8 |
| 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.