Compare towns
Somers vs Reading vs Suffield vs Stafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somers has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Stafford has the most affordable homes ($264k 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 | Somers | Reading | Suffield | Stafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,308Lowest |
25,612Highest |
15,702 |
11,511 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.1±2.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
46.7±4.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Stafford and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stafford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Suffield and Somers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,705±$15k 54% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$93,235±$16kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,800±$21k 19% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$263,800±$22kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,184±$346 16% below U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,086±$85Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456 107% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$5,131Lowest 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±13.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.5%±12.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Somers and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 149 in CT | #50 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #96 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Somers School District | Reading | Suffield School District | Stafford School District |
| High school in town | Somers High School | Reading Memorial High | Suffield High School | Stafford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
12.1Highest |
10.9 |
9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.