Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Spencer 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
Brooklyn has the highest household income ($96k).
Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).
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 | Spencer | Stafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
12,008Highest |
11,511 |
| 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. |
46.7±4.8 20% above U.S. |
| Spencer and Stafford 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% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Spencer and Stafford 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% |
29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% 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% |
3.5%±1.3Lowest 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±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$93,235±$16k 15% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Stafford 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. |
$263,800±$22kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,086±$85 23% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Stafford 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. |
$5,131Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.5%±12.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Spencer and Stafford 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% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Spencer and Stafford 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 | #96 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Spencer-E Brookfield | Stafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | David Prouty High | Stafford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.