Compare towns

Suffield vs Canton vs Reading

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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

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.

MeasureSuffieldCantonReading
People
Population
15,702Lowest
24,748
25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+13%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
44.5±1.7Highest
14% above U.S.
42.6±2.3Lowest
10% above U.S.
43.7±2.3
12% above U.S.
Suffield and Reading 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%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
22.8%±2.2
U.S.: 22%
Canton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.4%±2.2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.8%±2
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Reading 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%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
66.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.4%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.9%±0.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Canton 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±$13kLowest
48% above U.S.
$143,381±$9k
78% above U.S.
$165,912±$13kHighest
106% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$407,500±$26kLowest
22% above U.S.
$710,600±$27k
114% above U.S.
$809,000±$22kHighest
143% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,424±$141Lowest
about the U.S. average
$2,315±$178Highest
64% above U.S.
$1,991±$273
41% above U.S.
Canton and Reading 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.
$9,320Highest
199% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51%±4.6
U.S.: 51.1%
52.4%±9.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
27.8%±9.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Canton 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%
5.2%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1980Highest
same as U.S.
1960Lowest
20 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 minLowest
3% below U.S.
36 minHighest
36% above U.S.
31 min
17% above U.S.
Work from home
18.4%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
25.7%±3.3
U.S.: 15.1%
30.2%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Reading and Canton 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 #81 of 282 in MA #50 of 282 in MA
School district Suffield School District Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton —
High school in town Suffield High School Canton High —
Students per teacherat that high school
10.9Lowest
13.1Highest
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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.