Compare towns
Suffield vs Preston 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 most people working from home (18.4%).
Preston has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
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 | Preston | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702 |
4,821Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
44.3±1.5Lowest 8% above CT |
| Preston 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 CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Preston and Suffield 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% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston 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%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Preston 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 |
$116,648±$27k 22% above CT |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
| Suffield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$361,900±$13k about the CT average |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Preston and Suffield 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 |
$4,749Lowest 29% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Preston and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 3% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #57 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | Preston 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.