Compare towns

Plainfield vs Mansfield vs Suffield

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
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.

MeasurePlainfieldMansfieldSuffield
People
Population
15,141Lowest
25,358Highest
15,702
Median age
37±4.5
10% below CT
21.2±0.2Lowest
48% below CT
44.5±1.7Highest
8% above CT
Kids under 18
19.4%±2.6Highest
CT: 20.2%
9.2%±1.6Lowest
CT: 20.2%
16.2%±2
CT: 20.2%
Plainfield and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.6%±2.4
CT: 18.5%
11%±1.5Lowest
CT: 18.5%
18.4%±2.2Highest
CT: 18.5%
Suffield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
15%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
57.9%Highest
CT: 42.5%
40.4%
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.8
CT: 7.1%
57%±2.5Highest
CT: 7.1%
4.4%±1.2Lowest
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$76,993±$8k
20% below CT
$72,393±$12kLowest
24% below CT
$119,472±$13kHighest
25% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$272,100±$16kLowest
26% below CT
$335,400±$20k
9% below CT
$407,500±$26kHighest
11% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,204±$70Lowest
19% below CT
$1,602±$104Highest
8% above CT
$1,424±$141
4% 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
$4,209Lowest
37% below CT
$5,727
14% below CT
$6,456Highest
about the CT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39.8%±9.5Lowest
CT: 52.6%
76%±9.6Highest
CT: 52.6%
51%±4.6
CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line
8.7%
CT: 10%
21.6%Highest
CT: 10%
4.6%Lowest
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%
CT: 66.5%
57.3%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
86.7%Highest
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Lowest
4 yrs newer than CT
1976
9 yrs newer than CT
1979Highest
12 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
about the CT average
21 minLowest
22% below CT
26 min
3% below CT
Work from home
10%±4Lowest
CT: 16%
28.3%±3.3Highest
CT: 16%
18.4%±4.1
CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #131 of 149 in CT #45 of 149 in CT #57 of 149 in CT
School district Plainfield School District Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District Suffield School District
High school in town Plainfield High School E. O. Smith High School Suffield High School
Students per teacherat that high school
10.3Lowest
11.8Highest
10.9
On TownTapestry
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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.