What stands out worked out from the figures below

Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).

Chester has the oldest population (median age 54).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Suffield	Chester
People
Population	15,702Highest	3,825Lowest
Median age	44.5±1.7Lowest 8% above CT	54±3.4Highest 31% above CT
Kids under 18	16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2%	17.5%±4.9Highest CT: 20.2%
	Chester and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5%	26.8%±4Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.4%Lowest CT: 42.5%	47.9%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.2Highest CT: 7.1%	4%±2.9Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Suffield and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT	$109,191±$18kLowest 14% above CT
	Suffield and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,500±$26kLowest 11% above CT	$442,200±$25kHighest 21% above CT
	Chester and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,424±$141Lowest 4% below CT	$1,549±$247Highest 4% above CT
	Chester and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,456Highest about the CT average	$6,364Lowest 4% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51%±4.6Lowest CT: 52.6%	57.4%±22.1Highest CT: 52.6%
	Chester and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.6%Lowest CT: 10%	11.8%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	73.2%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT	1969Lowest 2 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% below CT	28 minHighest 7% above CT
Work from home	18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16%	18.3%±5.6Lowest CT: 16%
	Suffield and Chester 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	#8 of 149 in CT
School district	Suffield School District	Chester School District
High school in town	Suffield High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT 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.