Compare towns
Suffield vs Marion vs Bourne vs Southwick
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 youngest population (median age 44.5).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
Bourne has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Southwick has the most kids (18.2% 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.
| Measure | Suffield | Marion | Bourne | Southwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702 |
5,310Lowest |
20,323Highest |
9,217 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
53.8±4Highest 38% above U.S. |
52±1.8 34% above U.S. |
46.8±1.8 20% above U.S. |
| Marion and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Southwick and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bourne and Marion 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% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Marion and Bourne 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. |
$143,092±$30kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$91,058±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$120,462±$16k 49% above U.S. |
| Marion and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$653,500±$47kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$575,600±$28k 73% above U.S. |
$397,500±$27kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,176±$516Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,379±$300 about the U.S. average |
$1,332±$72 6% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$5,766 85% above U.S. |
$4,485Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$5,331 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
75.8%±26.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±5.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marion and Bourne 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% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marion 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 | #141 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #211 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Suffield School District | Marion | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Southwick Regional School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | 9.8Lowest |
11.0Highest |
| 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.