Compare towns
Durham vs Manchester vs Brooklyn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the highest household income ($159k).
Manchester has the most renters (43.1% rent).
Brooklyn has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
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 | Durham | Manchester | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,208Lowest |
59,635Highest |
8,517 |
| Median age | 45.5±2.8 11% above CT |
37±1.2Lowest 10% below CT |
45.6±2.5Highest 11% above CT |
| Brooklyn and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20%±1.6 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Brooklyn and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Brooklyn and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.5% CT: 42.5% |
23.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±0.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Manchester and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,857±$7kHighest 66% above CT |
$86,840±$4kLowest 9% below CT |
$96,207±$15k about the CT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT |
$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,154±$448 22% below CT |
$1,519±$66Highest about the CT average |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
| Manchester and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,998Highest 20% above CT |
$5,652 15% below CT |
$4,538Lowest 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±28.4 CT: 52.6% |
48.1%±6.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Manchester and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% CT: 10% |
10.8%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below CT |
23 minLowest 15% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Durham and Manchester 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 | #88 of 149 in CT | #135 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Coginchaug Regional High School | Manchester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
11.1Highest |
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| 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.