Compare towns
Spencer vs Suffield vs Fairhaven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Spencer has the most renters (37% rent).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
Fairhaven has the most expensive homes ($447k 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 | Spencer | Suffield | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,008Lowest |
15,702 |
15,903Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
48.5±3.4 25% above U.S. |
| Spencer and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairhaven and Spencer 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% |
24.9%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Spencer and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1Lowest 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. |
$95,965±$19k 19% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,000±$22kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$446,700±$19kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Fairhaven and Suffield 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 |
$1,118±$79 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,387 41% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$3,566Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.1%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairhaven and Suffield 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest 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 | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Spencer-E Brookfield | Suffield School District | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | David Prouty High | Suffield High School | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
10.9 |
11.4Highest |
| 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.