Compare towns
Brookfield vs Preston vs Bridgewater
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 kids (22.7% under 18).
Preston has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Bridgewater has the most people working from home (25.2%).
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 | Preston | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706Highest |
4,821 |
1,658Lowest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8Lowest 8% above CT |
46.2±7 12% above CT |
55.9±4.4Highest 36% above CT |
| Bridgewater and Preston 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% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
14.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
37%±6.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3% CT: 42.5% |
28.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
59.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±5.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Bridgewater and Preston 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 |
$116,648±$27kLowest 22% above CT |
$159,365±$5kHighest 66% above CT |
| Bridgewater 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 |
$361,900±$13kLowest about the CT average |
$693,000±$75kHighest 89% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,433±$1kLowest 4% below CT |
$1,467±$233 about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594Highest 14% above CT |
$4,749Lowest 29% below CT |
$6,869 3% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
47.8%±43 CT: 52.6% |
| Preston and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Highest CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.7% CT: 66.5% |
92.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1975 8 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
29 minHighest 11% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16% |
25.2%±5Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #67 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Preston School District | Regional School District 12 |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | None in town | 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.