Compare towns
Suffield vs Melrose vs Wolcott
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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Melrose has the most expensive homes ($823k median).
Wolcott has the most affordable homes ($326k 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.
| Measure | Suffield | Melrose | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702Lowest |
29,650Highest |
16,279 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.6±1.1Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.4±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Wolcott 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% |
20.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Melrose and Wolcott 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% |
20.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Melrose 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% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wolcott and Melrose 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. |
$133,953±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$110,850±$10kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Melrose 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±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S. |
$326,200±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,970±$149Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,464±$913 4% above U.S. |
| Melrose 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. |
$7,578Highest 143% above U.S. |
$5,799Lowest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±24.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Melrose 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% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #57 of 149 in CT | #62 of 282 in MA | #76 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | Melrose | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Melrose High | Wolcott High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
12.8Highest |
10.1Lowest |
| 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.