Compare towns
Colchester vs Suffield vs Ellington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colchester has the most affordable homes ($367k median).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Ellington has the most kids (24% under 18).
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 | Colchester | Suffield | Ellington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,648Lowest |
15,702 |
16,455Highest |
| Median age | 43.5±3.8 6% above CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
40.9±2.4Lowest about the CT average |
| 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%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
24%±3.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Ellington and Colchester 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% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Colchester and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.7% CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
51.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6%±2.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Ellington and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,390±$14k 28% above CT |
$119,472±$13kLowest 25% above CT |
$129,913±$17kHighest 36% above CT |
| Ellington and Colchester 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 |
$366,900±$17k about the CT average |
| Suffield and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$153 about the CT average |
$1,424±$141Lowest 4% below CT |
$1,737±$212Highest 17% above CT |
| Ellington and Colchester 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 |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$6,751Highest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.4%±10.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
45.5%±10.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% CT: 10% |
4.6%Highest CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.5% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
72.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
1979Lowest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1982 15 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above CT |
26 minLowest 3% below CT |
31 minHighest 18% above CT |
| Work from home | 18.4%±3.8 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
18.4%±3.9 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #46 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Colchester School District | Suffield School District | Ellington School District |
| High school in town | Bacon Academy | Suffield High School | Ellington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.9Highest |
10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.