Compare towns
Plainville vs Sturbridge vs Suffield
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 most affordable homes ($254k median).
Sturbridge has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Sturbridge | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551Highest |
9,960Lowest |
15,702 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Suffield 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% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Sturbridge 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 4% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge 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 24% below U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
| Suffield and Sturbridge 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. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Suffield 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
7.7Lowest |
10.9 |
| 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.