Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Spencer vs Griswold
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 highest household income ($96k).
Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).
Griswold has the most affordable homes ($276k 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 | Spencer | Griswold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
12,008Highest |
11,530 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
48.1±3.9 24% above U.S. |
| Spencer and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Griswold 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% |
26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$80,533±$11k about the U.S. average |
$78,719±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Brooklyn and Spencer 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. |
$382,000±$22kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$275,900±$42kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,177±$65Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Griswold and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538 45% above U.S. |
$4,387Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$4,628Highest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Spencer 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% |
11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Spencer and Brooklyn 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | #261 of 282 in MA | #118 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Spencer-E Brookfield | Griswold School District |
| High school in town | None in town | David Prouty High | Griswold High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| 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.