Compare towns
Plainville vs Windham vs Suffield 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).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
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 | Windham | Suffield | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,551 |
23,961 |
15,702Lowest |
61,462Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
37.9±1.5 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% |
20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±1.2 CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Suffield 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% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±0.9 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$79,076±$6k 17% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14k 31% below CT |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$277,800±$8k 24% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 24% below CT |
$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% 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 |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$5,449 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
55.5%±5.9 CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% CT: 10% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
64.9% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1967 same as CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
26 minHighest 3% below CT |
24 min 11% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
11.4%±1.7 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #115 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Suffield School District | Bristol School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Windham High School | Suffield High School | Bristol Central High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
9.8Lowest |
10.9 |
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.