Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sterling vs Suffield vs Windsor
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 renters (26.4% rent).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Suffield has the most expensive homes ($408k median).
Windsor has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Sterling | Suffield | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
3,629Lowest |
15,702 |
29,468Highest |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
43.7±1.9 6% above CT |
| Suffield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.2%±2.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling 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% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
20%±2Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Windsor and Suffield 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% |
18% CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
43.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor and Plainfield 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 |
$102,695±$12k 7% above CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$104,725±$8k 9% above CT |
| Suffield and Windsor 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 |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$305,200±$11k 17% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
— | $1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,681±$62Highest 13% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$5,351 19% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Windsor 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% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
21 minLowest 19% below CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
16.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Windsor 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #117 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Sterling School District | Suffield School District | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | Suffield High School | Windsor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
— | 10.9Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| 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.