Compare towns
Suffield vs Upton vs Lancaster 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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Southwick has the most affordable homes ($398k 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 | Upton | Lancaster | Southwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
9,217 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.8±1.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Southwick and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Southwick and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Southwick 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±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$120,462±$16k 49% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$397,500±$27kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,332±$72 6% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456 107% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$5,331Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #211 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Suffield School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Southwick Regional School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— | 11.0 |
| 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.