What stands out worked out from the figures below

Broad Brook has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Ellington has the highest household income ($130k).

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	Broad Brook	Ellington
People
Population	3,609Lowest	16,455Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.7% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	41.8±12.5Highest about the CT average	40.9±2.4Lowest about the CT average
	Broad Brook and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±7.2Lowest CT: 20.2%	24%±3.2Highest CT: 20.2%
	Ellington and Broad Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.3%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5%	18.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Broad Brook and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Lowest CT: 42.5%	51.4%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.3%±5.5Highest CT: 7.1%	6%±2.2Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Broad Brook and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,625±$42kLowest about the CT average	$129,913±$17kHighest 36% above CT
	Ellington and Broad Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$347,400±$42kLowest 5% below CT	$366,900±$17kHighest about the CT average
	Ellington and Broad Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,297±$202Lowest 13% below CT	$1,737±$212Highest 17% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,728Lowest 14% below CT	$6,751Highest about the CT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40%±21.4Lowest CT: 52.6%	45.5%±10.3Highest CT: 52.6%
	Ellington and Broad Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.9%Highest CT: 10%	2.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	72.2%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 14 yrs newer than CT	1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below CT	31 minHighest 18% above CT
Work from home	18.2%±7.8Lowest CT: 16%	18.4%±3.9Highest CT: 16%
	Ellington and Broad Brook 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	—	#46 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Ellington School District
High school in town	—	Ellington High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.3
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.