Compare towns
Brookfield vs Cheshire vs Suffield
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 most expensive homes ($480k median).
Cheshire has the most people working from home (19.1%).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706 |
29,040Highest |
15,702Lowest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8Lowest 8% above CT |
44.9±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
| Cheshire and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
21.9%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
21.3%±1.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Cheshire and Brookfield 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% |
40.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
| Cheshire and Suffield 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 |
$119,472±$13kLowest 25% 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±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
$440,000±$17k 20% above CT |
$407,500±$26kLowest 11% above CT |
| Brookfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,398±$116Lowest 6% below CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594 14% above CT |
$7,755Highest 17% above CT |
$6,456Lowest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±6.3 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
5%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.6% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
29 minHighest 9% above CT |
26 minLowest 3% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3Lowest CT: 16% |
19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
| Cheshire and Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Cheshire School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | Cheshire High School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.6 |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.