Compare towns
Plainville vs Salem 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 most affordable homes ($254k median).
Salem has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Salem | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551Highest |
4,282Lowest |
15,702 |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
40.9±5.4Lowest 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% |
23.2%±5.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
| Salem 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% |
19.7%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
50.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±3.3 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
$123,245±$8kHighest 29% above CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
| Salem and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$403,600±$33k 10% above CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
| Suffield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,440±$150Highest 3% below CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
| Salem and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
$6,668Highest about the CT average |
$6,456 about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
32.1%±26Lowest 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%Highest CT: 10% |
6.2% CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.6% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
32 minHighest 19% above CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
18%±9.6 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Salem 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #11 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Salem School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | None in town | 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.