Compare towns
Sterling vs Suffield vs Plainfield vs Coventry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Plainfield has the most renters (26.4% rent).
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 | Sterling | Suffield | Plainfield | Coventry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,629Lowest |
15,702 |
15,141 |
35,907Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Coventry and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$356,200±$11k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,551 46% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,099 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±11.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Coventry and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #24 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Sterling School District | Suffield School District | Plainfield School District | Coventry |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | Plainfield High School | Coventry High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
10.3Lowest |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.