What stands out worked out from the figures below

Spencer has the most renters (37% rent).

Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).

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	Spencer	Suffield
People
Population	12,008Lowest	15,702Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S.	44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S.
	Spencer and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22%	16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Spencer and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Spencer and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,533±$11kLowest about the U.S. average	$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$382,000±$22kLowest 15% above U.S.	$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S.
	Suffield and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S.	$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,387Lowest 41% above U.S.	$6,456Highest 107% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Suffield and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	15%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Suffield and Spencer 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	#261 of 282 in MA	#57 of 149 in CT
School district	Spencer-E Brookfield	Suffield School District
High school in town	David Prouty High	Suffield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.9Lowest	10.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.