What stands out worked out from the figures below

Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).

Colchester has the most kids (20.7% under 18).

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	Colchester
People
Population	15,702Highest	15,648Lowest
Median age	44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT	43.5±3.8Lowest 6% above CT
	Suffield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2%	20.7%±2.8Highest CT: 20.2%
	Colchester 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%	20.3%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5%
	Colchester 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 CT: 42.5%	49.7%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1%	4.6%±1.3Highest CT: 7.1%
	Colchester 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 25% above CT	$122,390±$14kHighest 28% above CT
	Colchester and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT	$366,800±$16kLowest about the CT average
	Suffield and Colchester 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	$1,474±$153Highest about the CT average
	Colchester 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	$6,212Lowest 6% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6%	44.4%±10.4Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Suffield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.6%Highest CT: 10%	3.9%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	76.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 12 yrs newer than CT	1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% below CT	30 minHighest 14% above CT
Work from home	18.4%±4.1 CT: 16%	18.4%±3.8 CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#57 of 149 in CT	#64 of 149 in CT
School district	Suffield School District	Colchester School District
High school in town	Suffield High School	Bacon Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Highest	9.8Lowest
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.