Compare towns
Plainville vs Athol vs Southington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Athol has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Southington has the most people working from home (17.3%).
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 | Plainville | Athol | Southington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551 |
12,011Lowest |
43,803Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45±1.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Southington and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Southington and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Southington and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$124,309±$9kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$373,800±$10kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,472±$77Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798 54% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$6,206Highest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 149 in CT | #256 of 282 in MA | #51 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Athol-Royalston | Southington School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Athol High | Southington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
11.6 |
12.8Highest |
| 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.