Compare towns
Putnam vs Suffield vs Plainfield vs North Canaan
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
North Canaan has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
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 | Putnam | Suffield | Plainfield | North Canaan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,120 |
15,702Highest |
15,141 |
3,221Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% CT: +0.9% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 41.2±5.1 about the CT average |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
35.7±5.7Lowest 13% below CT |
| Suffield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±4.3 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
26.5%±7.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| North Canaan and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
14.4%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Suffield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8% CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
23.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.3%±3.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,511±$7kLowest 32% below CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$71,976±$26k 25% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,100±$13kLowest 33% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$267,300±$59k 27% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$43 23% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,146±$152Lowest 23% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,564Lowest 46% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$4,209 37% below CT |
$3,893 41% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
25.1%±14.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.7% CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
13.4%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
61.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
22 minLowest 15% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
12.1%±5.3 CT: 16% |
| Suffield and North Canaan 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #91 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Suffield School District | Plainfield School District | North Canaan School District |
| High school in town | — | Suffield High School | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.