Compare towns
New Britain 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
New Britain has the most kids (22% under 18).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
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 | New Britain | Plainville | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 74,223Highest |
17,551 |
15,702Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 34.3±1.2Lowest 17% below CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 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 | 22%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 14.6%±1.1Lowest 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+ | 19.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.4%±1Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,613±$2kLowest 39% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $223,600±$6kLowest 39% below CT |
$254,000±$14k 31% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,253±$45 16% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
| Suffield and New Britain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,846 12% below CT |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
| New Britain and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.1%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 19% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
26 minHighest 3% below CT |
| Work from home | 8%±1.4Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #149 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Capitol Region Education Council | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | New Britain High School | Plainville High School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.2Highest |
11.4 |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.