Compare towns
Suffield vs Windham vs Columbia 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 most homeowners (86.7%).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Windham | Columbia | Southwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702 |
23,961Highest |
5,300Lowest |
9,217 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | -2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
33.7±1.9Lowest 13% below U.S. |
51.3±10.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
46.8±1.8 20% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Southwick 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% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Columbia and Southwick 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$127,000±$30kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$120,462±$16k 49% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$361,500±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$397,500±$27k 19% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,107±$69 22% below U.S. |
$966±$304Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,332±$72 6% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,633Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$5,228 68% above U.S. |
$5,331 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham 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% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Columbia and Suffield 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 | #143 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT | #211 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Suffield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Columbia School District | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | Windham High School | None in town | Southwick Regional School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
9.8Lowest |
— | 11.0Highest |
| 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.