Compare towns
Putnam vs Southwick vs Suffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Southwick has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
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 | Putnam | Southwick | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292 |
9,217Lowest |
15,702Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
46.8±1.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
| Southwick and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Putnam and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Southwick and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Southwick and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$120,462±$16kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
| Southwick and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$397,500±$27k 19% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,332±$72 6% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
| Suffield and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$5,331 71% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Southwick 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #211 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Southwick Regional School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.0Highest |
10.9 |
| 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.