Compare towns
Suffield vs Ayer vs Somers vs Oxford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Ayer has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Somers has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Oxford has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Suffield | Ayer | Somers | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702Highest |
8,645Lowest |
10,308 |
12,991 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±2.6 11% above U.S. |
45.2±5.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Oxford and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Oxford and Somers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Oxford and Somers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ayer and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$124,705±$15k 54% above U.S. |
$128,953±$23kHighest 60% above U.S. |
| Oxford and Somers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$395,800±$21kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$472,400±$20kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Oxford and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,184±$346Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,415±$87 about the U.S. average |
| Suffield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$5,057Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$6,442 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±13.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.3%±15.8Lowest 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 | 4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | #66 of 149 in CT | #78 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Somers School District | Oxford School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Somers High School | Oxford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
11.5Highest |
7.7Lowest |
10.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.