Compare towns

Longmeadow vs Wakefield vs Suffield vs Longmeadow

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).

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.

MeasureLongmeadowWakefieldSuffieldLongmeadow
People
Population
15,696Lowest
27,793Highest
15,702
15,696Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+0.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
44.6±1.7Highest
15% above U.S.
42.4±1.7Lowest
9% above U.S.
44.5±1.7
14% above U.S.
44.6±1.7Highest
15% above U.S.
Kids under 18
24.8%±3Highest
U.S.: 22%
20%±2.2
U.S.: 22%
16.2%±2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
24.8%±3Highest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
23.1%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19%±1.9
U.S.: 17.2%
18.4%±2.2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
23.1%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
67.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
59.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
40.4%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
67.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.9%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.9%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$149,601±$24kHighest
85% above U.S.
$134,306±$14k
66% above U.S.
$119,472±$13kLowest
48% above U.S.
$149,601±$24kHighest
85% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$454,100±$20k
36% above U.S.
$723,500±$24kHighest
117% above U.S.
$407,500±$26kLowest
22% above U.S.
$454,100±$20k
36% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,682±$423
19% above U.S.
$1,958±$102Highest
39% above U.S.
$1,424±$141Lowest
about the U.S. average
$1,682±$423
19% above U.S.
Wakefield and Longmeadow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,236Highest
196% above U.S.
$7,779
149% above U.S.
$6,456Lowest
107% above U.S.
$9,236Highest
196% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
58%±16.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
43.7%±7.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
51%±4.6
U.S.: 51.1%
58%±16.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
4.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
90.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
70.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
90.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1957
23 yrs older than U.S.
1956Lowest
24 yrs older than U.S.
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
1957
23 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
33 minHighest
26% above U.S.
26 min
3% below U.S.
25 minLowest
6% below U.S.
Work from home
24.7%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
24.6%±3.1
U.S.: 15.1%
18.4%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
24.7%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #51 of 282 in MA #179 of 282 in MA #57 of 149 in CT #51 of 282 in MA
School district Longmeadow Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield Suffield School District —
High school in town Longmeadow High Northeast Metro Regional Vocational Suffield High School —
Students per teacherat that high school
11.3Highest
10.7Lowest
10.9
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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.