What stands out worked out from the figures below

Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).

Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).

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	Providence
People
Population	15,702Lowest	191,767Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+7.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S.	32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S.	$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S.	$362,200±$8kLowest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average	$1,408±$42Lowest about the U.S. average
	Suffield and Providence 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.	$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	48%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Suffield and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 3% below U.S.	25 minLowest 5% below U.S.
Work from home	18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Suffield and Providence 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	#36 of 38 in RI
School district	Suffield School District	MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative
High school in town	Suffield High School	Classical High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	17.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.