Compare towns
Brookfield vs Northbridge vs Cheshire
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 most expensive homes ($480k median).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Cheshire has the most people working from home (19.1%).
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 | Northbridge | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706 |
16,458Lowest |
29,040Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8 14% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
44.9±1.4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cheshire and Brookfield 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. |
$111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$146,528±$12k 81% above U.S. |
| 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 44% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$440,000±$17kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,892±$183Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,398±$116 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594 143% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$7,755Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #18 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Northbridge | Cheshire School District |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | Northbridge High | Cheshire High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.8Lowest |
11.6 |
| 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.