Compare towns
Milton vs Suffield vs Wakefield vs Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Andover has the most people working from home (30.4%).
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 | Milton | Suffield | Wakefield | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,587 |
15,702Lowest |
27,793 |
36,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.8Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
42.9±1 10% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.6%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Milton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Milton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$172,606±$16k 114% above U.S. |
| Milton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$855,600±$22k 157% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$281 4% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,677 210% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.7%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 19% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.7%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Milton 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 | #55 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA | #68 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Milton | Suffield School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Milton High | Suffield High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
10.9 |
10.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.