Compare towns
Southwick vs Putnam vs Suffield vs Westfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Southwick has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Westfield has the youngest population (median age 39.9).
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 | Southwick | Putnam | Suffield | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,217Lowest |
9,292 |
15,702 |
40,378Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | -0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±1.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
39.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Southwick and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Putnam and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Southwick and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $120,462±$16kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$87,753±$6k 9% above U.S. |
| Southwick and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $397,500±$27k 19% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$325,100±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Suffield and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,332±$72 6% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,331 71% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,746 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.5%±5.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Southwick 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 | #211 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #197 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District | Putnam School District | Suffield School District | Westfield |
| High school in town | Southwick Regional School | Putnam High School | Suffield High School | Westfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
9.5Lowest |
10.9 |
11.9Highest |
| 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.