Compare towns
Cheshire vs Windham 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%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
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 | Windham | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,040Highest |
23,961 |
17,706Lowest |
| Median age | 44.9±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
| Cheshire and Brookfield 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% |
20.1%±2.4Lowest 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%±1.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Cheshire and Brookfield 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% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,528±$12k 53% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below 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 |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% 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 |
$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,755Highest 17% above CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$7,594 14% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±6.3 CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% CT: 10% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
4.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above CT |
24 minLowest 8% below CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
| Work from home | 19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest 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 | #143 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Cheshire School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Brookfield School District |
| High school in town | Cheshire High School | Windham High School | Brookfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
9.8Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.