Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sprague vs Suffield vs Canterbury
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 youngest population (median age 37).
Sprague has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Canterbury has the most homeowners (88.7%).
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 | Sprague | Suffield | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
2,962Lowest |
15,702Highest |
5,124 |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
48.5±10.7Highest 18% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
48.4±4.5 18% above CT |
| Sprague and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
17.1%±5.4 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
15%±3.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
19.9%±3.9 CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
25.5%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Canterbury and Sprague 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% |
19.2% CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
26.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±2 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$92,850±$11k 3% below CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$103,198±$6k 8% above CT |
| Suffield and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$273,500±$17k 25% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$334,200±$12k 9% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,247±$144 16% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
$924±$367Lowest 38% below CT |
| Suffield and Sprague 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 |
$4,668 30% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$4,140Lowest 38% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
26.9%±12.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
40%±13 CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
8.1% CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% CT: 66.5% |
67.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
88.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1975 8 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
30 min 12% above CT |
26 minLowest 3% below CT |
32 minHighest 20% above CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4 CT: 16% |
5%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
14.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Canterbury 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #141 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Sprague School District | Suffield School District | Canterbury School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | Suffield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 10.9Highest |
— |
| 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.