Compare towns
Plainville vs Scituate vs Bristol
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).
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($449k median).
Bristol has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
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 | Scituate | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551 |
10,517Lowest |
61,462Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
37.9±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Bristol 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. |
$112,315±$23kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$79,076±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Scituate and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$449,300±$26kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$277,800±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,489±$251Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,338±$45 5% below U.S. |
| Scituate and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
$5,449Highest 75% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Bristol 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% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Scituate and Bristol 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 | #17 of 38 in RI | #115 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Scituate | Bristol School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Scituate High School | Bristol Central High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.8Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.