What stands out worked out from the figures below

Colchester has the most kids (20.7% under 18).

Suffield has the shortest commute (26 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Colchester	Suffield
People
Population	15,648Lowest	15,702Highest
Median age	43.5±3.8Lowest 6% above CT	44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT
	Suffield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.7%±2.8Highest CT: 20.2%	16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Colchester and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.3%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5%	18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Colchester and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.7%Highest CT: 42.5%	40.4%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.3Highest CT: 7.1%	4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Colchester and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,390±$14kHighest 28% above CT	$119,472±$13kLowest 25% above CT
	Colchester and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$366,800±$16kLowest about the CT average	$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT
	Suffield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,474±$153Highest about the CT average	$1,424±$141Lowest 4% below CT
	Colchester and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,212Lowest 6% below CT	$6,456Highest about the CT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.4%±10.4Lowest CT: 52.6%	51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6%
	Suffield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest CT: 10%	4.6%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%	86.7%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT	1979Lowest 12 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 14% above CT	26 minLowest 3% below CT
Work from home	18.4%±3.8 CT: 16%	18.4%±4.1 CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#64 of 149 in CT	#57 of 149 in CT
School district	Colchester School District	Suffield School District
High school in town	Bacon Academy	Suffield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	10.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.