Compare towns
Reading 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
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Southwick has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Reading | Southwick | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
9,217Lowest |
15,702 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 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 | 22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Southwick and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest 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 | $165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$120,462±$16k 49% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$397,500±$27kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,332±$72Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$5,331Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 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 | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 282 in MA | #211 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | — | Southwick Regional School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.