Compare towns

Mansfield 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

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureMansfieldSuffieldPlainville
People
Population
25,358Highest
15,702Lowest
17,551
Median age
21.2±0.2Lowest
48% 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
9.2%±1.6Lowest
CT: 20.2%
16.2%±2Highest
CT: 20.2%
15.6%±2.3
CT: 20.2%
Suffield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
11%±1.5Lowest
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+
57.9%Highest
CT: 42.5%
40.4%
CT: 42.5%
30%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
57%±2.5Highest
CT: 7.1%
4.4%±1.2Lowest
CT: 7.1%
6.2%±1.6
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$72,393±$12kLowest
24% below CT
$119,472±$13kHighest
25% above CT
$84,343±$7k
12% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$335,400±$20k
9% below CT
$407,500±$26kHighest
11% above CT
$254,000±$14kLowest
31% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,602±$104Highest
8% above CT
$1,424±$141
4% below CT
$1,126±$147Lowest
24% below CT
Mansfield and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,727
14% below CT
$6,456Highest
about the CT average
$4,798Lowest
28% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
76%±9.6Highest
CT: 52.6%
51%±4.6
CT: 52.6%
40.3%±12.4Lowest
CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line
21.6%Highest
CT: 10%
4.6%Lowest
CT: 10%
6.5%
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
57.3%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
86.7%Highest
CT: 66.5%
67.7%
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976
9 yrs newer than CT
1979Highest
12 yrs newer than CT
1971Lowest
4 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
21 minLowest
22% below CT
26 minHighest
3% below CT
21 min
20% below CT
Work from home
28.3%±3.3Highest
CT: 16%
18.4%±4.1
CT: 16%
10.7%±2Lowest
CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #45 of 149 in CT #57 of 149 in CT #89 of 149 in CT
School district Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District Suffield School District Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town E. O. Smith High School Suffield High School Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.8Highest
10.9Lowest
11.4
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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.