Compare towns
Suffield vs Canton vs Needham
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).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702Lowest |
24,748 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Needham 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% |
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canton 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest 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. |
| 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. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,315±$178 64% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest 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% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older 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. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest 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 |
| School district | Suffield School District | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Needham |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Canton High | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
13.1Highest |
11.9 |
| 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.