Compare towns
Brookfield vs Middlebury vs Sandy Hook
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 renters (13.5% rent).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Sandy Hook has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Middlebury | Sandy Hook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706Highest |
7,807Lowest |
9,863 |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
44.4±2.3Highest 8% above CT |
43.1±3Lowest 5% above CT |
| Middlebury 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% |
22%±3.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.6%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Sandy Hook 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% |
22.7%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Middlebury 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% |
53.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
60.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±2.8 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Sandy Hook and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $148,360±$11k 55% above CT |
$133,487±$26kLowest 39% above CT |
$160,814±$25kHighest 68% above CT |
| Sandy Hook and Brookfield 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 |
$476,400±$23kLowest 30% above CT |
$501,200±$33kHighest 37% above CT |
| Sandy Hook and Brookfield 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 |
$398±$387Lowest 73% below CT |
$1,866±$439 25% above CT |
| Brookfield and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594Lowest 14% above CT |
$8,434 27% above CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1 CT: 52.6% |
12.7%±6.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.4%±26.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Sandy Hook and Brookfield 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% |
5.8%Highest CT: 10% |
5.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
87.8% CT: 66.5% |
92.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
25 minLowest 5% below CT |
35 minHighest 33% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
15.3%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
| Sandy Hook 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 | #55 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Regional School District 15 | — |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.