Compare towns
Winchester vs Suffield vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Winchester | Suffield | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,284Lowest |
15,702 |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
44.3±1.5Lowest 8% above CT |
| Winchester and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Suffield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Winchester and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 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 | $66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$254,000±$14k 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$116 21% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Suffield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,780Lowest 28% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±15.8 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the CT average |
26 min 3% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #97 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Suffield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Northwestern Regional High School | Suffield High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
10.9 |
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.