Compare towns
Middlefield vs Suffield vs Beacon Falls vs Meriden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the oldest population (median age 51.6).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
Meriden has the most affordable homes ($241k 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 | Middlefield | Suffield | Beacon Falls | Meriden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,243Lowest |
15,702 |
6,147 |
60,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | 0% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
48.4±3.8 18% above CT |
38.9±1.3Lowest 5% below CT |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8 CT: 20.2% |
21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Meriden and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
44.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±0.9 CT: 7.1% |
| Middlefield and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,837±$20k 4% above CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$101,516±$42k 6% above CT |
$71,253±$4kLowest 26% below CT |
| Suffield and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,000±$27k about the CT average |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$350,300±$34k 5% below CT |
$241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT |
| Suffield and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,921±$286 29% above CT |
$1,294±$72Lowest 13% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$6,534 about the CT average |
$5,129Lowest 23% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±4.9 CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
13.2%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
85.5% CT: 66.5% |
60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT |
1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
23 minLowest 13% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16% |
8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16% |
| Beacon Falls 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 | #65 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT | #124 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Suffield School District | Regional School District 16 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | Woodland Regional High School | Francis T. Maloney High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Lowest |
11.2 |
16.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.