Compare towns
Suffield vs Ayer vs Southwick
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 people working from home (21.6%).
Southwick has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
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 | Southwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702Highest |
8,645Lowest |
9,217 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.8±1.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Southwick 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%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Southwick 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% |
21%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Southwick and Suffield 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$120,462±$16kHighest 49% 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 | $407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$397,500±$27kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,332±$72Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| 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. |
$5,331 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.1Lowest 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 | #211 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Suffield School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Southwick Regional School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.5Highest |
11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.