What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).

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.

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

Measure	Fairhaven	Suffield
People
Population	15,903Highest	15,702Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	48.5±3.4Highest 25% above U.S.	44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S.
	Fairhaven and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%	16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Fairhaven and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Suffield and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$95,965±$19kLowest 19% above U.S.	$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S.
	Suffield and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$446,700±$19kHighest 34% above U.S.	$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S.
	Fairhaven and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,118±$79Lowest 21% below U.S.	$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,566Lowest 14% above U.S.	$6,456Highest 107% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.1%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1%	51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Fairhaven and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	11.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Suffield and Fairhaven 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	#126 of 282 in MA	#57 of 149 in CT
School district	Fairhaven	Suffield School District
High school in town	Fairhaven High	Suffield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.