Compare towns
Suffield vs Beacon Falls vs Plainfield vs Southwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Southwick has the highest household income ($120k).
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 | Suffield | Beacon Falls | Plainfield | Southwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702Highest |
6,147Lowest |
15,141 |
9,217 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | -2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
48.4±3.8Highest 24% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
46.8±1.8 20% above U.S. |
| Beacon Falls and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Beacon Falls and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$101,516±$42k 26% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$120,462±$16kHighest 49% above U.S. |
| Southwick and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$350,300±$34k 5% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$397,500±$27k 19% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,921±$286Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,332±$72 6% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456 107% above U.S. |
$6,534Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,331 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±30.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Beacon Falls and Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #211 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Suffield School District | Regional School District 16 | Plainfield School District | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Woodland Regional High School | Plainfield High School | Southwick Regional School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
11.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.0 |
| 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.