What stands out worked out from the figures below

Suffield has the most expensive homes ($408k median).

Manchester has the most affordable homes ($247k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Suffield	Manchester
People
Population	15,702Lowest	59,635Highest
Median age	44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT	37±1.2Lowest 10% below CT
Kids under 18	16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2%	20%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	18.4%±2.2Highest CT: 18.5%	15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Suffield and Manchester 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%	40.5%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.5%±0.7Highest CT: 7.1%
	Manchester 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±$13kHighest 25% above CT	$86,840±$4kLowest 9% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT	$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,424±$141Lowest 4% below CT	$1,519±$66Highest about the CT average
	Manchester 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	$5,652Lowest 15% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6%	48.1%±6.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Suffield and Manchester 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%	10.8%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT	1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 3% below CT	23 minLowest 15% below CT
Work from home	18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16%	14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 16%
	Suffield and Manchester 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	#135 of 149 in CT
School district	Suffield School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District
High school in town	Suffield High School	Manchester High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	11.1Highest
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.