Compare towns
Suffield vs Reading vs Wakefield vs Oxford
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).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Oxford has the most homeowners (90.4%).
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 | Reading | Wakefield | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702 |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
12,991Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
45.2±5.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Oxford 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Oxford 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% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Oxford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$128,953±$23k 60% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$472,400±$20k 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,415±$87Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Reading and Wakefield 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. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$6,442Lowest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.3%±15.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suffield and Wakefield 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #78 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Oxford School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Oxford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
— | 10.7 |
10.1Lowest |
| 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.