Compare towns
Longmeadow vs Wakefield vs Suffield vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Longmeadow has the most kids (24.8% under 18).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Scituate has the most expensive homes ($848k 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.
| Measure | Longmeadow | Wakefield | Suffield | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,696Lowest |
27,793Highest |
15,702 |
19,365 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.7 15% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
47.1±3.1Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Longmeadow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.8%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Longmeadow and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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% |
22.2%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Longmeadow and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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% |
66.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Longmeadow and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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. |
$136,732±$16k 69% above U.S. |
| Longmeadow and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,100±$20k 36% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$847,600±$25kHighest 155% 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 |
$1,609±$311 14% 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. |
$8,807 182% 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% |
52.7%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Longmeadow and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%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% |
87.8% 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. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Scituate and Longmeadow 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 | #51 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #43 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Longmeadow | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Suffield School District | Scituate |
| High school in town | Longmeadow High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Suffield High School | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
10.9 |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.