Compare towns
Bristol vs Suffield 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 most kids (20.1% under 18).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
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 | Suffield | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,462Highest |
15,702Lowest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Suffield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Suffield 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% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±0.9 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,800±$8k 24% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,338±$45 10% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Suffield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,449 18% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Bristol and Suffield 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% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest same as CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below CT |
26 minHighest 3% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 11.4%±1.7 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bristol School District | Suffield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Bristol Central High School | Suffield High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
10.9Lowest |
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.