Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Lancaster vs Suffield vs Stafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Stafford has the most affordable homes ($264k median).
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 | Brooklyn | Lancaster | Suffield | Stafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
8,606 |
15,702Highest |
11,511 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
46.7±4.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Stafford and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stafford and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stafford and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$93,235±$16kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$263,800±$22kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,086±$85Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$5,131 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.5%±12.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #96 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Nashoba | Suffield School District | Stafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Suffield High School | Stafford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.