Compare towns
Suffield vs Canton vs Reading vs Windsor Locks
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 homeowners (86.7%).
Canton has the most renters (26.4% rent).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k 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 | Reading | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702 |
24,748 |
25,612Highest |
12,579Lowest |
| 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±2.3 10% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% 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% |
18.6%±3.4 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%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks 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±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Canton and Reading 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. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% 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% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest 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% |
77.1% 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. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Lowest 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 | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | — | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Canton High | — | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
13.1Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| 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.