Compare towns
Brookfield vs New Fairfield 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 highest household income ($148k).
New Fairfield has the most kids (25.1% under 18).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k 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 | New Fairfield | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706Highest |
13,584Lowest |
15,702 |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
42.9±3.5Lowest 4% above CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
| Suffield 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% |
25.1%±4.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest 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%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| 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 CT: 42.5% |
48.3% CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
8%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
| New Fairfield 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 |
$137,647±$14k 44% above CT |
$119,472±$13kLowest 25% above CT |
| 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±$24k 31% above CT |
$484,800±$17kHighest 32% above CT |
$407,500±$26kLowest 11% 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 |
$1,896±$280Highest 27% above CT |
$1,424±$141Lowest 4% below 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 |
$8,224Highest 24% above CT |
$6,456Lowest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
43.2%±17.9 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield 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% |
3.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1969Lowest 2 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
42 minHighest 60% above CT |
26 minLowest 3% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3Lowest CT: 16% |
18%±3.2 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
| Suffield 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 | #49 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | New Fairfield School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | New Fairfield High School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.8 |
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.