Compare towns
Reading vs Suffield vs Brooklyn
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).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k 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.
| Measure | Reading | Suffield | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
15,702 |
8,517Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn 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% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn 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. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% 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% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Reading | Suffield School District | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Reading Memorial High | Suffield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
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.