Compare towns
Suffield vs Wakefield vs Needham vs Enfield
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 homeowners (86.7%).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Enfield has the most affordable homes ($253k 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 | Wakefield | Needham | Enfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702Lowest |
27,793 |
32,459 |
41,090Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
40.7±1.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Needham 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% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±1.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Suffield 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% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham 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±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$90,404±$5kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$252,900±$7kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,574±$83 11% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456 107% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,360Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #57 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #123 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | — | Needham | Capitol Region Education Council · Enfield School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | — | Needham High | Enfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.9 |
13.5Highest |
| 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.