Compare towns
Cheshire vs Suffield vs Brookfield vs Southington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cheshire has the most people working from home (19.1%).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
Southington has the most affordable homes ($374k 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 | Cheshire | Suffield | Brookfield | Southington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 29,040 |
15,702Lowest |
17,706 |
43,803Highest |
| Median age | 44.9±1.4 9% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
44.3±1.8Lowest 8% above CT |
45±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
| Southington and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±1.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±1.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
21%±1.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Cheshire and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58.3% CT: 42.5% |
43.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Southington and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $146,528±$12k 53% above CT |
$119,472±$13kLowest 25% above CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$124,309±$9k 30% above CT |
| Brookfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,000±$17k 20% above CT |
$407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
$479,700±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
$373,800±$10kLowest about the CT average |
| Brookfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,398±$116Lowest 6% below CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,472±$77 about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,755Highest 17% above CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$7,594 14% above CT |
$6,206Lowest 7% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±6.3 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
43.9%±8.6 CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
4.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
86.5% CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
24 minLowest 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
16.3%±3Lowest CT: 16% |
17.3%±2.9 CT: 16% |
| Cheshire and Suffield 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 | #18 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT | #51 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Cheshire School District | Suffield School District | Brookfield School District | Southington School District |
| High school in town | Cheshire High School | Suffield High School | Brookfield High School | Southington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
10.9Lowest |
12.7 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.