Compare towns
Cheshire vs Willimantic vs Prospect vs Brookfield
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%).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Prospect has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($480k 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 | Willimantic | Prospect | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 29,040Highest |
18,096 |
9,458Lowest |
17,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.9±1.4 9% above CT |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
| Prospect 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% |
20.6%±2.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3Highest 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%±1.8 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect and Cheshire 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% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.3% CT: 42.5% |
58.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $146,528±$12k 53% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% 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 |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
$479,700±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
| 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±$116 6% below CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,800±$433 21% above CT |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
| Brookfield and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,755Highest 17% above CT |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,504 about the CT average |
$7,594 14% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±6.3 CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
3.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
86.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above CT |
23 minLowest 12% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
| Work from home | 19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
| Cheshire and Brookfield 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 | — | #50 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Cheshire School District | — | Regional School District 16 | Brookfield School District |
| High school in town | Cheshire High School | — | None in town | Brookfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | — | 12.7Highest |
| 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.