Compare towns
Bristol vs Suffield vs Wolcott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most renters (35.1% rent).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Wolcott has the most homeowners (88.4%).
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.
| Measure | Bristol | Suffield | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,462Highest |
15,702Lowest |
16,279 |
| 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 |
44.4±2.5 8% above CT |
| Suffield and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±3.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Bristol and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| 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+ | 30.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
37% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±0.9Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
| Bristol and Wolcott 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 |
$110,850±$10k 16% above CT |
| Suffield and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,800±$8kLowest 24% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$326,200±$17k 11% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,338±$45Lowest 10% below CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,464±$913Highest about the CT average |
| Wolcott and Suffield 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 |
$5,799 13% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
49.8%±24.2Lowest 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% CT: 10% |
1.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
88.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest same as CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
30 minHighest 13% above CT |
| Work from home | 11.4%±1.7 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #76 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bristol School District | Suffield School District | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | Bristol Central High School | Suffield High School | Wolcott High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
10.9 |
10.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.