Compare towns
Plainfield vs Mansfield vs Suffield vs Wauregan
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).
Wauregan has the most kids (25.6% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Plainfield | Mansfield | Suffield | Wauregan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
25,358Highest |
15,702 |
1,049Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +27.7% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 37±4.5 10% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
32±5.9 22% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
25.6%±9.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Wauregan and Plainfield 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%±1.5 CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
10.2%±5.4Lowest 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% |
18.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
3.1%±3.3Lowest 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 |
$79,545±$18k 17% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$262,700±$15kLowest 28% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,254±$476 16% 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 | $4,209 37% below CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$3,649Lowest 45% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
22.4%±19.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
60.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
6.8%±7.6Lowest 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 | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.