Compare towns
Boston vs Somers vs Suffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most expensive homes ($732k median).
Somers has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 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 | Boston | Somers | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
10,308Lowest |
15,702 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
43.1±2.6 11% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Somers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Somers and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Somers and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$124,705±$15kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
| Somers and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kHighest 120% above U.S. |
$395,800±$21kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S. |
$1,184±$346Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±13.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Somers and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Boston 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | #66 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Somers School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Somers High School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
7.7Lowest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.