Compare towns
Suffield vs Norfolk vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
Norfolk has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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.
| Measure | Suffield | Norfolk | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702 |
1,723Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
48.2±7.4Highest 17% above CT |
44.3±1.5Lowest 8% above CT |
| Norfolk and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.8%±4.8 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Suffield and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
28.8%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4% CT: 42.5% |
48.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
2.1%±1.1Lowest 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 | $119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$91,548±$16k 4% below CT |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
| Suffield and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
$430,900±$54kHighest 17% above CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Norfolk and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
$1,190±$116 20% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Suffield and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456Highest about the CT average |
$6,065 9% below CT |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
27.3%±17Lowest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
7.5%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1938Lowest 29 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below CT |
27 minHighest 3% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
23.3%±4.7Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Norfolk 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 | — | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | Norfolk School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | None in town | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.