What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k median).

Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).

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	Brookline	Suffield
People
Population	63,266Highest	15,702Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	35.2±1.2Lowest 10% below U.S.	44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22%	16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Brookline and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Suffield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	85.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,101±$8kHighest 76% above U.S.	$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,246,800±$67kHighest 275% above U.S.	$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S.	$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Suffield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	46.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	30.1%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 282 in MA	#57 of 149 in CT
School district	Brookline	Suffield School District
High school in town	Brookline High	Suffield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.