Compare towns
Brookfield vs Cheshire vs Windham
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%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k 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 | Brookfield | Cheshire | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706Lowest |
29,040Highest |
23,961 |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
44.9±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below 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%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
21.9%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4Lowest 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% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest 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% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$146,528±$12k 53% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below 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 |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below 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±$116 6% below CT |
$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594 14% above CT |
$7,755Highest 17% above CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±6.3 CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windham 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% CT: 10% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
86.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
29 minHighest 9% above CT |
24 minLowest 8% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Cheshire and Brookfield 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 | #143 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 |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | Cheshire High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.6 |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.