Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Suffield vs West Brookfield vs Bernardston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buzzards Bay has the most expensive homes ($455k median).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
West Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.5).
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Suffield | West Brookfield | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,909 |
15,702Highest |
3,859 |
2,164Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9 40% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
58.5±3.2Highest 50% above U.S. |
49±3.2 26% above U.S. |
| West Brookfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 6.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bernardston and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 32.3%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Brookfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,388±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$95,613±$12k 18% above U.S. |
$81,940±$10kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Suffield and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,500±$28kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$354,000±$21k 6% above U.S. |
$332,000±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Buzzards Bay and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,236±$271Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,283±$553 9% below U.S. |
| Buzzards Bay and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,405Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,260 37% above U.S. |
$4,516 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 22% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
42 minHighest 58% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±15Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| West Brookfield 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 | — | #57 of 149 in CT | #162 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Suffield School District | Quaboag Regional | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | Suffield High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
— | — |
| 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.