Compare towns
Plainville vs Simsbury vs Bristol
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).
Simsbury has the most people working from home (27.1%).
Bristol has the youngest population (median age 37.9).
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 | Simsbury | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551Lowest |
25,066 |
61,462Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
42.3±2.1 about the CT average |
37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT |
| Plainville and Simsbury 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% |
24.9%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±1.7 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±1.5 CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Simsbury 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% |
71.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.6%±1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±0.9 CT: 7.1% |
| 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 12% below CT |
$157,907±$11kHighest 65% above CT |
$79,076±$6kLowest 17% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$443,500±$11kHighest 21% above CT |
$277,800±$8k 24% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$2,203±$118Highest 48% above CT |
$1,338±$45 10% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
$9,115Highest 37% above CT |
$5,449 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
48%±8.4 CT: 52.6% |
55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Bristol and Simsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% CT: 10% |
4.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% CT: 66.5% |
75.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
64.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1973Highest 6 yrs newer than CT |
1967Lowest same as CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
26 minHighest about the CT average |
24 min 11% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
27.1%±3Highest CT: 16% |
11.4%±1.7 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 149 in CT | #13 of 149 in CT | #115 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Simsbury School District | Bristol School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Simsbury High School | Bristol Central High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
11.9 |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.