Compare towns
Suffield vs Canton vs Needham 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 most affordable homes ($408k median).
Canton has the most renters (26.4% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Oxford has the most homeowners (90.4%).
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 | Canton | Needham | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702 |
24,748 |
32,459Highest |
12,991Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 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% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Oxford and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$128,953±$23k 60% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$472,400±$20k 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$2,315±$178 64% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,415±$87Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456 107% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,442Lowest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.3%±15.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Canton 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% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% 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% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #57 of 149 in CT | #81 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #78 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | — | Oxford School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Canton High | — | Oxford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
13.1Highest |
— | 10.1Lowest |
| 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.