Compare towns
Brookfield vs Willimantic vs Cheshire
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).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Cheshire has the most people working from home (19.1%).
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 | Willimantic | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706Lowest |
18,096 |
29,040Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
44.9±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
| Cheshire and Brookfield 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% |
20.6%±2.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.9%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Cheshire 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% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21.3%±1.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Cheshire 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% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
60.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$146,528±$12k 53% above CT |
| Brookfield and Cheshire 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 |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$440,000±$17k 20% above CT |
| Brookfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,398±$116 6% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594 14% above CT |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$7,755Highest 17% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±6.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic and Cheshire 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% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
23 minLowest 12% below CT |
29 minHighest 9% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Cheshire 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 | — | #18 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | — | Cheshire School District |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | — | Cheshire High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
| 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.