Compare towns
Newton vs Suffield vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newton has the most expensive homes ($1265k median).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Shrewsbury has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Newton | Suffield | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 89,044Highest |
15,702Lowest |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±0.9 8% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.6±1.5Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Newton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±1 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Newton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newton and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $190,304±$9kHighest 136% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$139,302±$11k 73% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,264,900±$43kHighest 280% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$592,300±$20k 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,370±$81Highest 68% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,116±$98 50% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$6,923 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±6.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.2%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #25 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Newton | Suffield School District | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Newton North High | Suffield High School | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
10.9 |
14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.