Compare towns
Suffield vs Sprague 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%).
Sprague has the oldest population (median age 48.5).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Southwick has the most kids (18.2% under 18).
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 | Sprague | Plainville | Southwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702 |
2,962Lowest |
17,551Highest |
9,217 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | -2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
48.5±10.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.8±1.8 20% above U.S. |
| Sprague and Southwick 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% |
17.1%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Southwick and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±3.9 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Southwick 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. |
$92,850±$11k 15% 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. |
$273,500±$17k 18% below U.S. |
$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±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,247±$144 12% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,332±$72 6% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Southwick 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. |
$4,668Lowest 50% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$5,331 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±12.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 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. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.9Lowest 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 | #141 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #211 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Suffield School District | Sprague School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | None in town | Plainville High School | Southwick Regional School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.