Compare towns
Putnam vs Stafford vs Suffield vs Plainville
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 (40.2% rent).
Stafford has the most kids (21.5% under 18).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Stafford | Suffield | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
11,511 |
15,702 |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
46.7±4.8Highest 14% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Stafford and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
21.5%±3.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Stafford and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
22%±3Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Stafford and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$93,235±$16k about the CT average |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Suffield and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$263,800±$22k 28% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,086±$85Lowest 27% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
$1,126±$147 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$5,131 23% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
41.5%±12.2 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest CT: 10% |
7.4% CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
79.5% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
26 minHighest about the CT average |
26 min 3% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
11%±3.5 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Stafford 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 | #96 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Stafford School District | Suffield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Stafford High School | Suffield High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
9.8 |
10.9 |
11.4Highest |
| 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.