Compare towns
Brookfield vs West Cornwall 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).
West Cornwall has the most affordable homes ($396k 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 | West Cornwall | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706Highest |
70Lowest |
1,658 |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8Lowest 8% above CT |
61.3±14.1Highest 49% above CT |
55.9±4.4 36% above CT |
| West Cornwall and Bridgewater 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% |
8.6%±49.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
14.4%±2.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
44.3%±50.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
37%±6.6 CT: 18.5% |
| West Cornwall and Bridgewater 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% |
57.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
59.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±21.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±5.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Bridgewater 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±$11kLowest 55% above CT |
$175,156±$54kHighest 83% above CT |
$159,365±$5k 66% above CT |
| West Cornwall and Bridgewater 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 |
$395,800±$64kLowest 8% above CT |
$693,000±$75kHighest 89% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
— | $1,467±$233Lowest about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594Highest 14% above CT |
$3,056Lowest 54% below CT |
$6,869 3% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1 CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
47.8%±43Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Bridgewater 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% |
4.3%Highest CT: 10% |
3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
83.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
92.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1938Lowest 29 yrs older than CT |
1975 8 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
24 minLowest 11% below CT |
29 minHighest 11% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
14.6%±12.8Lowest CT: 16% |
25.2%±5Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #67 of 149 in CT | — | — |
| School district | Brookfield School District | — | Regional School District 12 |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | — | 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.