Compare towns
Suffield vs Columbia vs Chaplin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k 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 | Columbia | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702Highest |
5,300 |
2,070Lowest |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT |
43.7±4.8Lowest 6% above CT |
| Columbia and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Suffield and Chaplin 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% |
24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Columbia and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Columbia 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 25% above CT |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
$97,846±$14kLowest about the CT average |
| Columbia 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 |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
| Chaplin 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 |
$5,228 21% below CT |
$4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7 CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Chaplin 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% |
6.1%Highest CT: 10% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
82.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
1979Lowest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Lowest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Suffield 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 | #114 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Suffield School District | Columbia School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | None in town | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
— | 7.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.