Compare towns
Cheshire vs Suffield vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cheshire has the most affordable homes ($268k 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.
| Measure | Cheshire | Suffield | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,216Lowest |
15,702Highest |
3,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
52.4±2.1 35% above U.S. |
| Cheshire and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Suffield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cheshire and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,803±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$81,250±$37k about the U.S. average |
| Suffield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,200±$48kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$341,900±$23k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,014±$161Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$5,092 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.2%±24Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Brookfield 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 | #274 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #109 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | Suffield School District | Brookfield |
| High school in town | Hoosac Valley High School | Suffield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
10.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.