Compare towns
Preston vs Plainfield vs Suffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Preston | Plainfield | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
15,141 |
15,702Highest |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
| Preston and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27k 22% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
| Suffield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,900±$13k about the CT average |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
| Preston and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749 29% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
| Preston and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
26 min 3% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Preston 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Plainfield School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
10.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.