Compare towns
Durham vs Plainville vs Suffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the highest household income ($159k).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
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 | Durham | Plainville | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,208Lowest |
17,551Highest |
15,702 |
| Median age | 45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT |
44.3±1.5Lowest 8% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
| Durham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
| Durham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 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+ | 47.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,857±$7kHighest 66% above CT |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
| Durham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,154±$448 22% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
| Suffield and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,998Highest 20% above CT |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±28.4 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
26 minHighest 3% below CT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
| Durham and Suffield 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 | #88 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Coginchaug Regional High School | Plainville High School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
11.4Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.