Compare towns
Somerset vs Suffield vs Swansea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerset has the oldest population (median age 47).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Swansea has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Somerset | Suffield | Swansea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,298Highest |
15,702Lowest |
17,359 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.2Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
45±3.3 16% above U.S. |
| Somerset and Swansea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Swansea and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Somerset and Swansea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Somerset and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,677±$6kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$116,364±$14k 44% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Swansea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $418,800±$18k 26% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$445,000±$19kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Swansea and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$93 10% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,226±$84Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,977 60% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,846Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±12.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Somerset and Swansea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Somerset 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 | #132 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #131 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset | Suffield School District | Swansea |
| High school in town | Somerset Berkley Regional High School | Suffield High School | Joseph Case High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
10.9Lowest |
11.0 |
| 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.