Compare towns
Brookfield vs Orange vs Suffield 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 highest household income ($148k).
Orange has the most homeowners (89.2%).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
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 | Orange | Suffield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,706 |
14,315Lowest |
15,702 |
23,961Highest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
| Orange and Suffield 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% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange 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% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Orange 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% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
| Brookfield and Orange 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 |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
| Orange 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 |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
| Orange 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 |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
24 minLowest 8% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Suffield 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 | #38 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Suffield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | None in town | Suffield High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.9 |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.