Compare towns
Suffield vs Wakefield vs Walpole
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 affordable homes ($408k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Walpole has the highest household income ($172k).
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 | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702Lowest |
27,793Highest |
26,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Wakefield 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% |
25.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walpole 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. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$171,500±$16kHighest 112% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$687,100±$20k 107% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$2,205±$222Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$8,523Highest 173% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest 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% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walpole 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Suffield School District | — | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | — | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.