Compare towns
Middlefield vs Suffield vs Prospect vs Columbia
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Suffield has the most expensive homes ($408k median).
Prospect has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Prospect | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,243Lowest |
15,702Highest |
9,458 |
5,300 |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
44.5±1.7Lowest 8% above CT |
46.8±3.9 14% above CT |
51.3±10.3 25% above CT |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Prospect and Suffield 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%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.5%±4.3 CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
40.3% CT: 42.5% |
34.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,837±$20kLowest 4% above CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
| Columbia and Prospect 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 |
$355,400±$21kLowest 3% below CT |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
| 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 |
$1,800±$433 21% above CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$6,504 about the CT average |
$5,228Lowest 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
3.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
83.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Columbia 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 | #50 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Suffield School District | Regional School District 16 | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
— | — |
| 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.