Compare towns
Brookfield vs West Haven vs Tolland
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 expensive homes ($480k median).
West Haven has the most renters (49.4% rent).
Tolland has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 Haven | Tolland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706 |
55,351Highest |
14,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | 0% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8Highest 8% above CT |
35.8±1.5Lowest 13% below CT |
41.4±2.5 about the CT average |
| Brookfield and Tolland 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% |
20.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.6%±3 CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Tolland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
16%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
15.3%±2.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Brookfield and West Haven 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% |
30.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
56.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
7.4%±2.3 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$74,382±$5kLowest 22% below CT |
$133,264±$16k 39% above CT |
| Brookfield and Tolland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $479,700±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
$291,700±$9kLowest 20% below CT |
$365,500±$21k about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,442±$43Lowest 3% below CT |
$1,680±$119 13% above CT |
| Brookfield and Tolland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594Highest 14% above CT |
$6,941Lowest 4% above CT |
$7,403 11% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±5.8 CT: 52.6% |
73.5%±62.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Tolland and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
14.1%Highest CT: 10% |
5.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
90.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
1981Highest 14 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
23 minLowest 14% below CT |
32 minHighest 20% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
9.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 16% |
20.6%±3.6Highest CT: 16% |
| Tolland 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 | #120 of 149 in CT | #60 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | New Haven School District · West Haven School District | Tolland School District |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | West Haven High School | Tolland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
15.6Highest |
12.4Lowest |
| 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.