What stands out worked out from the figures below

Simsbury has the most people working from home (27.1%).

Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Simsbury	Plainville
People
Population	25,066Highest	17,551Lowest
Median age	42.3±2.1Lowest about the CT average	44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT
	Plainville and Simsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.9%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2%	15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	18.5%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%	20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5%
	Plainville and Simsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	71.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	30%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1Lowest CT: 7.1%	6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1%
	Plainville and Simsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$157,907±$11kHighest 65% above CT	$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$443,500±$11kHighest 21% above CT	$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,203±$118Highest 48% above CT	$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,115Highest 37% above CT	$4,798Lowest 28% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48%±8.4Highest CT: 52.6%	40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Simsbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest CT: 10%	6.5%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.2%Highest CT: 66.5%	67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 6 yrs newer than CT	1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the CT average	21 minLowest 20% below CT
Work from home	27.1%±3Highest CT: 16%	10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#13 of 149 in CT	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	Simsbury School District	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	Simsbury High School	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.