Compare towns
Brookfield vs Mendon vs New Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the highest household income ($148k).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
New Fairfield has the most people working from home (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 | Mendon | New Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706Highest |
6,325Lowest |
13,584 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
42.9±3.5Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| New Fairfield and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Fairfield 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| New Fairfield and Mendon 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 84% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33kLowest 64% above U.S. |
$137,647±$14k 70% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and New Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $479,700±$24kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$484,800±$17k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,892±$183 34% above U.S. |
$1,840±$196Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$1,896±$280Highest 34% above U.S. |
| New Fairfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594 143% above U.S. |
$7,213Lowest 131% above U.S. |
$8,224Highest 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.2%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
42 minHighest 60% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Fairfield 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #49 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Mendon-Upton | New Fairfield School District |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | None in town | New Fairfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| 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.