Compare towns
Coventry vs Wakefield vs Suffield vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($330k median).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Columbia has the oldest population (median age 51.3).
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 | Coventry | Wakefield | Suffield | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,326 |
27,793Highest |
15,702 |
5,300Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.4±3.8 17% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
51.3±10.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Coventry and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Columbia and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Columbia and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,213±$5kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$127,000±$30k 57% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,000±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$361,500±$16k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$330 13% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$966±$304Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,284 69% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$5,228Lowest 68% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Coventry and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Columbia 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 | #41 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Coventry School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Suffield School District | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Suffield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
10.7 |
10.9Highest |
— |
| 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.