Compare towns
Brookfield vs Cheshire vs Killingly vs New Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the highest household income ($148k).
Cheshire has the most people working from home (19.1%).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
New Fairfield has the most kids (25.1% under 18).
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 | Brookfield | Cheshire | Killingly | New Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,706 |
29,040Highest |
17,867 |
13,584Lowest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
44.9±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
39.5±3Lowest 4% below CT |
42.9±3.5 4% above CT |
| Cheshire and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3 CT: 20.2% |
21.9%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
25.1%±4.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| New Fairfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21.3%±1.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.5 CT: 18.5% |
| Cheshire and New Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3% CT: 42.5% |
60.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
48.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
8%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| New Fairfield and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$146,528±$12k 53% above CT |
$84,350±$8kLowest 12% below CT |
$137,647±$14k 44% above CT |
| Brookfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $479,700±$24k 31% above CT |
$440,000±$17k 20% above CT |
$288,600±$15kLowest 21% below CT |
$484,800±$17kHighest 32% above CT |
| New Fairfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,892±$183 27% above CT |
$1,398±$116 6% below CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,896±$280Highest 27% above CT |
| New Fairfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594 14% above CT |
$7,755 17% above CT |
$3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$8,224Highest 24% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±6.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
43.2%±17.9 CT: 52.6% |
| Cheshire and New Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% CT: 10% |
5% CT: 10% |
11.4%Highest CT: 10% |
3.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
86.6% CT: 66.5% |
71.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1968Lowest 1 yr newer than CT |
1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
29 min 9% above CT |
28 minLowest 5% above CT |
42 minHighest 60% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest CT: 16% |
18%±3.2 CT: 16% |
| Cheshire and New Fairfield 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 | #67 of 149 in CT | #18 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #49 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Cheshire School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | New Fairfield School District |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | Cheshire High School | Killingly High School | New Fairfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.