Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sturbridge vs Suffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 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 | Sturbridge | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141 |
9,960Lowest |
15,702Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sturbridge 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Sturbridge 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 5% below U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Suffield 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
7.7Lowest |
10.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.