Compare towns
Plainville vs Suffield vs Killingly 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).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Bristol has the most renters (35.1% rent).
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 | Suffield | Killingly | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,551 |
15,702Lowest |
17,867 |
61,462Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below 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% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Bristol and Killingly 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% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Killingly 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% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 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 |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$79,076±$6kLowest 17% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$277,800±$8k 24% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 24% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,338±$45 10% below CT |
| Suffield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798 28% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$5,449 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Bristol and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.4%Highest CT: 10% |
10.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
71.6% CT: 66.5% |
64.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1967Lowest same as CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
28 minHighest 5% above CT |
24 min 11% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
11.4%±1.7 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #115 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Suffield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Bristol School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Suffield High School | Killingly High School | Bristol Central High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.9Lowest |
11.1 |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.