What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ayer has the most renters (41.9% rent).

Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ayer	Suffield
People
Population	3,098Lowest	15,702Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.1% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	42.1±6.9Lowest 8% above U.S.	44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S.
	Suffield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22%	16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Ayer and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.3%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Suffield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Suffield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S.	$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$444,600±$43kHighest 34% above U.S.	$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S.
	Ayer and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,240±$169Lowest 12% below U.S.	$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average
	Suffield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,911Lowest 57% above U.S.	$6,456Highest 107% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±21.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Suffield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	19.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Ayer 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	#113 of 282 in MA	#57 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Suffield School District
High school in town	—	Suffield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	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.