What stands out worked out from the figures below

Walpole has the most expensive homes ($687k median).

Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Walpole	Suffield
People
Population	26,388Highest	15,702Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S.	44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	25.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Suffield and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	67.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±1.2Lowest 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	$171,500±$16kHighest 112% above U.S.	$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$687,100±$20kHighest 107% above U.S.	$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,205±$222Highest 56% above U.S.	$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,523Highest 173% above U.S.	$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Suffield and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 27% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#107 of 282 in MA	#57 of 149 in CT
School district	Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole	Suffield School District
High school in town	Walpole High	Suffield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.