Compare towns
Grafton vs Suffield vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Shrewsbury has the most people working from home (26.3%).
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 | Grafton | Suffield | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,902 |
15,702Lowest |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.6 6% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.6±1.5Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Suffield and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Grafton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,484±$11k 63% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$139,302±$11kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Shrewsbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $525,300±$37k 58% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$592,300±$20kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$169 6% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,116±$98Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,117Highest 128% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$6,923 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shrewsbury and Grafton 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 | #67 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Grafton | Suffield School District | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Grafton High School | Suffield High School | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
10.9Lowest |
14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.