Compare towns
Berlin vs Southwick vs Suffield vs Meriden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Southwick has the highest household income ($120k).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Meriden has the most affordable homes ($241k 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 | Berlin | Southwick | Suffield | Meriden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,361 |
9,217Lowest |
15,702 |
60,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | 0%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.7±3Highest 25% above U.S. |
46.8±1.8 20% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
38.9±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Berlin and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Meriden and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berlin and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,598±$11k 41% above U.S. |
$120,462±$16kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$71,253±$4kLowest 12% below 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 | $374,600±$13k 13% above U.S. |
$397,500±$27k 19% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$241,200±$7kLowest 28% below 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 | $1,402±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,332±$72 6% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,294±$72Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,291Highest 134% above U.S. |
$5,331 71% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$5,129Lowest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.4%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±4.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berlin and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
60.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±1.6Lowest 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 | #73 of 149 in CT | #211 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #124 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Berlin School District | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District | Suffield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District |
| High school in town | Berlin High School | Southwick Regional School | Suffield High School | Francis T. Maloney High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
11.0 |
10.9Lowest |
16.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.