What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the most affordable homes ($278k median).

Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).

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	Bristol	Suffield
People
Population	61,462Highest	15,702Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT	44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT
Kids under 18	20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2%	16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%	18.4%±2.2Highest CT: 18.5%
	Suffield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.3%Lowest CT: 42.5%	40.4%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±0.9Highest CT: 7.1%	4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bristol and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,076±$6kLowest 17% below CT	$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$277,800±$8kLowest 24% below CT	$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,338±$45Lowest 10% below CT	$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT
	Suffield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,449Lowest 18% below CT	$6,456Highest about the CT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6%	51%±4.6Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Bristol and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Highest CT: 10%	4.6%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	86.7%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest same as CT	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 11% below CT	26 minHighest 3% below CT
Work from home	11.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 16%	18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#115 of 149 in CT	#57 of 149 in CT
School district	Bristol School District	Suffield School District
High school in town	Bristol Central High School	Suffield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.0Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT 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.