Compare towns
Wallingford vs Suffield vs Plainville vs Wallingford Center
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wallingford has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Wallingford Center has the most renters (39.6% rent).
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 | Wallingford | Suffield | Plainville | Wallingford Center |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,362Highest |
15,702Lowest |
17,551 |
18,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +0.4% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 42.6±1.8 4% above CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
39.6±4.4Lowest 4% below CT |
| Suffield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±1.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
17.3%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Wallingford and Wallingford Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±1.7 CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
21.4%±3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Wallingford Center and Wallingford 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% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
35.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.7%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,773±$5k 9% above CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
$89,959±$8k 6% below CT |
| Suffield and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,100±$8k 4% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$319,200±$11k 13% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,374±$84 8% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,336±$102 10% below CT |
| Suffield and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,963 10% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
$5,264 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±8.9 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
40.8%±11.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
7.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
60.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below CT |
26 minHighest 3% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
25 min 7% below CT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±2 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
12.9%±2.5 CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Wallingford 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 | #108 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Wallingford School District | Suffield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | — |
| High school in town | Lyman Hall High School | Suffield High School | Plainville High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
10.9 |
11.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.