Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Needham vs Thompson vs Danielson
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Danielson has the most renters (47% rent).
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 | Thompson | Danielson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,517 |
32,459Highest |
9,337 |
4,209Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
34.5±3.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danielson and Brooklyn 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$64,050±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
$224,600±$13kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,235±$194 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,009 29% 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% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±17.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Thompson 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% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 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. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 149 in CT | #19 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Needham | Thompson School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
7.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.