What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).

Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Suffield
People
Population	25,612Highest	15,702Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S.	44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S.
	Suffield and Reading 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%	16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Reading and Suffield 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%	40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Suffield and Reading 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.	$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S.	$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S.	$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 199% above U.S.	$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 282 in MA	#57 of 149 in CT
School district	Reading	Suffield School District
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Suffield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.