What stands out worked out from the figures below

Framingham has the most expensive homes ($627k median).

Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).

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	Framingham	Suffield
People
Population	72,399Highest	15,702Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.9% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S.	44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Suffield and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,419±$6kLowest 33% above U.S.	$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S.
	Suffield and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$627,300±$10kHighest 89% above U.S.	$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,033±$57Highest 44% above U.S.	$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,884Highest 121% above U.S.	$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Framingham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Framingham and Suffield 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	#229 of 282 in MA	#57 of 149 in CT
School district	Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical	Suffield School District
High school in town	Framingham High School	Suffield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Highest	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.