Compare towns
Brookfield vs Sterling vs New Fairfield
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
New Fairfield has the most people working from home (18%).
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 | Sterling | New Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706Highest |
3,629Lowest |
13,584 |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8Highest 8% above CT |
39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT |
42.9±3.5 4% above CT |
| Brookfield and New Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
25.1%±4.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| New Fairfield and Sterling 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% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.5Highest 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% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
48.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
8%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
| New Fairfield 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 55% above CT |
$102,695±$12kLowest 7% above CT |
$137,647±$14k 44% 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 |
$283,400±$17kLowest 23% below CT |
$484,800±$17kHighest 32% 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±$183Lowest 27% above CT |
— | $1,896±$280Highest 27% above 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 |
$4,551Lowest 31% below CT |
$8,224Highest 24% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
43.2%±17.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
| New Fairfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% CT: 10% |
8.3%Highest CT: 10% |
3.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1969Lowest 2 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 6% above CT |
35 min 34% above CT |
42 minHighest 60% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest CT: 16% |
18%±3.2Highest CT: 16% |
| New Fairfield 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #49 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Sterling School District | New Fairfield School District |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | None in town | New Fairfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| 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.