Compare towns
Suffield vs Willimantic vs West Haven
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%).
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
West Haven has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Willimantic | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702Lowest |
18,096 |
55,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3%Highest CT: +0.9% |
0%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
35.8±1.5 13% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±1.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Willimantic and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
| Suffield and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
13.6%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$74,382±$5k 22% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$291,700±$9k 20% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,442±$43Highest 3% below CT |
| West Haven and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456 about the CT average |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,941Highest 4% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±5.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
14.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
50.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1959 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 3% below CT |
23 min 12% below CT |
23 minLowest 14% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
9.2%±1.4 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #57 of 149 in CT | — | #120 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | — | New Haven School District · West Haven School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | — | West Haven High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 15.6Highest |
| 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.