Compare towns
Cheshire vs Prospect vs Suffield vs Southington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cheshire has the highest household income ($147k).
Prospect has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Suffield has the youngest population (median age 44.5).
Southington has the most renters (18.9% rent).
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 | Cheshire | Prospect | Suffield | Southington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 29,040 |
9,458Lowest |
15,702 |
43,803Highest |
| Median age | 44.9±1.4 9% above CT |
46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
44.5±1.7Lowest 8% above CT |
45±1.4 9% above CT |
| Prospect and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±1.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Cheshire and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±1.8 CT: 18.5% |
24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21%±1.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
43.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Southington and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $146,528±$12kHighest 53% above CT |
$126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
$119,472±$13kLowest 25% above CT |
$124,309±$9k 30% above CT |
| Cheshire and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,000±$17kHighest 20% above CT |
$355,400±$21kLowest 3% below CT |
$407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
$373,800±$10k about the CT average |
| Cheshire and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,398±$116Lowest 6% below CT |
$1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,472±$77 about the CT average |
| Prospect and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,755Highest 17% above CT |
$6,504 about the CT average |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$6,206Lowest 7% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±6.3 CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
43.9%±8.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest CT: 10% |
3.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
4.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% CT: 66.5% |
93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
24 minLowest 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
17.3%±2.9 CT: 16% |
| Cheshire 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 | #18 of 149 in CT | #50 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #51 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Cheshire School District | Regional School District 16 | Suffield School District | Southington School District |
| High school in town | Cheshire High School | None in town | Suffield High School | Southington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 10.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.