Compare towns
Suffield vs Ledyard vs Plainville 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 most people working from home (18.4%).
Ledyard has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Southwick has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
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 | Ledyard | Plainville | Southwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702 |
15,433 |
17,551Highest |
9,217Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | -2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
37.1±1.4Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
46.8±1.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Southwick and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Southwick and Plainville 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% |
40.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Ledyard 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. |
$107,975±$10k 34% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above 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. |
$326,200±$27k about the U.S. average |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% 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 |
$1,629±$247Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,332±$72 6% below U.S. |
| Ledyard and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$6,371 104% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$5,331 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±27Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ledyard and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Southwick 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 | #99 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #211 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Suffield School District | Ledyard School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Ledyard High School | Plainville High School | Southwick Regional School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.5Highest |
11.4 |
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.