Compare towns
Holyoke vs Suffield vs Southbridge Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holyoke has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Southbridge Town has the most kids (21.9% 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 | Holyoke | Suffield | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813Highest |
15,702Lowest |
17,928 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.9±2.4 5% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Southbridge Town and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holyoke and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Southbridge Town and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$66,287±$8k 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$294,800±$18k 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,256±$79 11% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.8%±8.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Southbridge Town and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #281 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Suffield School District | Southbridge |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | Suffield High School | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
10.9 |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.