Compare towns
Walpole vs Suffield vs Westwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walpole has the most people working from home (28.2%).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Westwood has the most expensive homes ($1042k 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 | Walpole | Suffield | Westwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,388Highest |
15,702Lowest |
16,318 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.9±1.6 13% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Westwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westwood and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westwood and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
72.4%Highest 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% |
4.5%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walpole and Westwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,500±$16k 112% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$223,125±$33kHighest 176% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $687,100±$20k 107% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$1,041,500±$42kHighest 213% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,205±$222 56% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,553±$323Highest 81% above U.S. |
| Westwood and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,523 173% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.8%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westwood and Suffield 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% |
4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.1%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walpole and Westwood 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #16 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Suffield School District | Westwood |
| High school in town | Walpole High | Suffield High School | Westwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
10.9Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.