Compare towns
Suffield vs Shelton vs Wolcott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Shelton has the most renters (23.5% rent).
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 | Shelton | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702Lowest |
41,889Highest |
16,279 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.3% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
44.5±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
44.4±2.5Lowest 8% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.9%±1.7 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±3.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Wolcott and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21.4%±1.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Shelton 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% CT: 42.5% |
41.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
37%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
| Shelton and Wolcott 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 |
$108,185±$11kLowest 13% above CT |
$110,850±$10k 16% above CT |
| Suffield and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
$452,600±$13kHighest 23% above CT |
$326,200±$17kLowest 11% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Lowest 4% below CT |
$1,741±$216Highest 17% above CT |
$1,464±$913 about the CT average |
| Shelton and Wolcott 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 |
$5,409Lowest 19% below CT |
$5,799 13% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
53.8%±9.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
49.8%±24.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Shelton and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% CT: 10% |
6.6%Highest CT: 10% |
1.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% CT: 66.5% |
76.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
88.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1977 10 yrs newer than CT |
1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below CT |
30 minHighest 14% above CT |
30 min 13% above CT |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
13.9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Shelton 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 | #71 of 149 in CT | #76 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | Shelton School District | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Shelton High School | Wolcott High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
14.3Highest |
10.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.