Compare towns
Suffield vs Walpole vs Canton vs Wolcott
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).
Walpole has the highest household income ($172k).
Canton has the most renters (26.4% 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 | Walpole | Canton | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702Lowest |
26,388Highest |
24,748 |
16,279 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
44.4±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Wolcott 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% |
25.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wolcott and Walpole 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. |
$171,500±$16kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
$110,850±$10kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$687,100±$20k 107% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$326,200±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Canton 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 |
$2,205±$222 56% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,464±$913 4% above U.S. |
| Canton and Walpole 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. |
$8,523Highest 173% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$5,799Lowest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±24.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton 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% |
3.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walpole and Canton 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #76 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Walpole High | Canton High | Wolcott High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
11.3 |
13.1Highest |
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.