Compare towns
Boston vs Suffield vs Wolcott
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).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Wolcott has the most affordable homes ($326k 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 | Boston | Suffield | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
15,702Lowest |
16,279 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.4±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Wolcott 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% |
19.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wolcott 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% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolcott 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% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$110,850±$10k 37% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Wolcott 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. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$326,200±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,464±$913 4% above U.S. |
| Boston and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$5,799 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±24.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Boston and Suffield 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #76 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Suffield School District | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Suffield High School | Wolcott High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
10.9 |
10.1Lowest |
| 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.