Compare towns
Suffield vs Pittsfield 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 most people working from home (18.4%).
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Southwick has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
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 | Pittsfield | Southwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702 |
43,457Highest |
9,217Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
42.4±2Lowest 9% above U.S. |
46.8±1.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Southwick and Suffield 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% |
17.6%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Southwick and Pittsfield 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% |
19.4%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Southwick and Pittsfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
34.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pittsfield and Southwick 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. |
$70,582±$5kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$120,462±$16kHighest 49% above U.S. |
| Southwick 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±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$256,900±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$397,500±$27k 19% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,134±$61Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,332±$72 6% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Southwick 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. |
$4,148Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,331 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pittsfield and Suffield 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% |
14.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Southwick 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 | #251 of 282 in MA | #211 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Suffield School District | Pittsfield | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Taconic High | Southwick Regional School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
9.3Lowest |
11.0Highest |
| 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.