What stands out worked out from the figures below

Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).

Crystal Lake has the most kids (24.5% 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	Crystal Lake
People
Population	15,702Highest	2,024Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+10.6% CT: +0.9%
Median age	44.5±1.7Lowest 8% above CT	48.9±7.6Highest 19% above CT
	Crystal Lake and Suffield 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%	24.5%±7.5Highest CT: 20.2%
	Crystal Lake 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%	23.3%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5%
	Crystal Lake 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%	45.9%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1%	6.3%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1%
	Crystal Lake 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	$143,882±$29kHighest 50% above CT
	Crystal Lake 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	$361,800±$35kLowest about the CT average
	Suffield and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,424±$141 4% below CT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,456Lowest about the CT average	$7,146Highest 8% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6%	0%±93.3Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Suffield and Crystal Lake 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%	1.7%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	91.4%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT	1977Lowest 10 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% below CT	39 minHighest 47% above CT
Work from home	18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16%	17.5%±10Lowest CT: 16%
	Suffield and Crystal Lake 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	—
School district	Suffield School District	—
High school in town	Suffield High School	—
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.