Compare towns
Plainville vs Putnam vs Suffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
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 | Putnam | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551Highest |
7,120Lowest |
15,702 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.1% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
41.2±5.1Lowest about the CT average |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
| Suffield 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 CT: 20.2% |
18.9%±4.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
| Putnam and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
17%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30% CT: 42.5% |
18.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Suffield 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 12% below CT |
$65,511±$7kLowest 32% below CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14k 31% below CT |
$245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,147±$43 23% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798 28% below CT |
$3,564Lowest 46% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
38.2%±12.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% CT: 10% |
11.7%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% CT: 66.5% |
50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
25 min 5% below CT |
26 minHighest 3% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | — | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | — | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
— | 10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.