Compare towns
Boston vs Suffield vs Windsor Locks vs Milton
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 renters (64.3% rent).
Suffield has the oldest population (median age 44.5).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Suffield | Windsor Locks | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
15,702 |
12,579Lowest |
28,587 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
41.1±1.8 6% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Windsor Locks 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% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
25.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Suffield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2k 21% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,474±$281 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456 43% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$9,677Highest 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±20.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Suffield School District | Windsor Locks School District | — |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Suffield High School | Windsor Locks High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
10.9 |
8.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.