Compare towns
Wallingford vs Suffield vs Northford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wallingford has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Northford has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Wallingford | Suffield | Northford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,362Highest |
15,702 |
6,186Lowest |
| Median age | 42.6±1.8Lowest 4% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
48.1±5.6Highest 17% above CT |
| Northford and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±1.9 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.2%±5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Northford and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±1.7 CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.6%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Northford and Wallingford 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% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
39.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±3.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Northford and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,773±$5kLowest 9% above CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$105,174±$24k 10% above CT |
| Suffield and Northford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,100±$8kLowest 4% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$403,800±$31k 10% above CT |
| Suffield and Northford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,374±$84Lowest 8% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
$1,408±$326 5% below CT |
| Suffield and Northford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,963Lowest 10% below CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$7,302Highest 10% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±8.9 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
16.6%±21.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
4.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
90.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1977 10 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below CT |
26 minHighest 3% below CT |
26 min 4% below CT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±2 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
12.3%±6.5Lowest CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Wallingford 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 | #108 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Wallingford School District | Suffield School District | — |
| High school in town | Lyman Hall High School | Suffield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
10.9Highest |
— |
| 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.