Compare towns
Cheshire vs Windham vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cheshire has the oldest population (median age 53.7).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (12%).
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 | 3,216Lowest |
23,961Highest |
3,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
33.7±1.9Lowest 13% below U.S. |
52.4±2.1 35% above U.S. |
| Cheshire and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 26.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,803±$14k 14% below U.S. |
$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$81,250±$37kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,200±$48k 19% below U.S. |
$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$341,900±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,107±$69Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,014±$161Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Windham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$4,633 49% above U.S. |
$5,092Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.2%±24Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Windham 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 | #274 of 282 in MA | #143 of 149 in CT | #109 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Brookfield |
| High school in town | Hoosac Valley High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Highest |
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.