What stands out worked out from the figures below

Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).

Meriden has the most affordable homes ($241k 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	Meriden
People
Population	15,702Lowest	60,545Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	0% CT: +0.9%
Median age	44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT	38.9±1.3Lowest 5% below CT
Kids under 18	16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2%	21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	18.4%±2.2Highest CT: 18.5%	16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Suffield and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.4%Highest CT: 42.5%	22.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.6%±0.9Highest CT: 7.1%
	Meriden 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	$71,253±$4kLowest 26% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT	$241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT	$1,294±$72Lowest 13% below CT
	Suffield and Meriden 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	$5,129Lowest 23% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51%±4.6Lowest CT: 52.6%	53.4%±4.9Highest CT: 52.6%
	Meriden and Suffield 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%	13.2%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT	1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 3% below CT	23 minLowest 13% below CT
Work from home	18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16%	8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#57 of 149 in CT	#124 of 149 in CT
School district	Suffield School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District
High school in town	Suffield High School	Francis T. Maloney High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	16.2Highest
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.