Compare towns
Suffield vs Dover vs Wolcott vs Watertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Wolcott has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
Watertown has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Wolcott | Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702 |
5,930Lowest |
16,279 |
22,253Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
44.9±2.3 15% above U.S. |
44.4±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.3±2.9Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Watertown and Dover 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% |
19.4%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Watertown and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Wolcott 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 48% above U.S. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$110,850±$10k 37% above U.S. |
$101,691±$7kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$326,200±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$333,500±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$1,464±$913 4% above U.S. |
$1,275±$227Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Dover and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456 107% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,799Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$6,014 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±24.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Watertown and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #57 of 149 in CT | #1 of 282 in MA | #76 of 149 in CT | #126 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Wolcott School District | Watertown School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Wolcott High School | Watertown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
9.8Lowest |
10.1 |
10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.