Compare towns
Brookfield vs Willimantic vs Suffield vs Orange
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 highest household income ($148k).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Orange has the most homeowners (89.2%).
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 | Willimantic | Suffield | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,706 |
18,096Highest |
15,702 |
14,315Lowest |
| 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 |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
| Orange and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Brookfield 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% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Orange 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% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
| Brookfield and Orange 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 |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,892±$183 27% above CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
| Orange 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 |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above CT |
23 minLowest 12% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
| Suffield 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 | — | #57 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | — | Suffield School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | — | Suffield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.