Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Needham vs Canterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Canterbury has the most homeowners (88.7%).
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 | Needham | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,517 |
32,459Highest |
5,124Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.4±4.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Canterbury 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$103,198±$6k 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$334,200±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,140Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±13 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 149 in CT | #19 of 282 in MA | #125 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | — | Canterbury School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.