Compare towns
Plainville vs Suffield vs Thomaston vs Southington
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 renters (32.3% rent).
Suffield has the most expensive homes ($408k median).
Thomaston has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Southington has the highest household income ($124k).
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 | Thomaston | Southington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,551 |
15,702 |
7,492Lowest |
43,803Highest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
41.5±7.7Lowest about the CT average |
45±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
| Southington 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 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±1.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Thomaston and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
21%±1.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Southington 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 CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
34% CT: 42.5% |
43.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Southington and Plainville 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 |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$103,218±$15k 8% above CT |
$124,309±$9kHighest 30% above CT |
| Southington 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 |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$282,600±$23k 23% below CT |
$373,800±$10k about the CT average |
| Suffield and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 24% below CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,472±$77Highest about the CT average |
| Southington 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 |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$5,915 11% below CT |
$6,206 7% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
43.9%±8.6 CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston and Suffield 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% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.7% CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
24 min 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
17.3%±2.9 CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Southington 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT | #51 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Suffield School District | Thomaston School District | Southington School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Suffield High School | Thomaston High School | Southington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.9 |
10.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.