Compare towns
Suffield vs Dover vs Dedham
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 affordable homes ($408k median).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
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 | Dover | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702 |
5,930Lowest |
25,237Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
44.9±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
| Dover and Dedham 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% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Dedham 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 48% above U.S. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
| Dover and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Suffield 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #57 of 149 in CT | #1 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Suffield School District | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Dedham |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
9.8Lowest |
10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.