Compare towns
Ellington vs Preston vs Brooklyn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellington has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k 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 | Ellington | Preston | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,455Highest |
4,821Lowest |
8,517 |
| Median age | 40.9±2.4Lowest about the CT average |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
45.6±2.5 11% above CT |
| Preston and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±3.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Ellington and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
23.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±2.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Ellington and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,913±$17kHighest 36% above CT |
$116,648±$27k 22% above CT |
$96,207±$15kLowest about the CT average |
| Ellington and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,900±$17kHighest about the CT average |
$361,900±$13k about the CT average |
$315,200±$28kLowest 14% below CT |
| Ellington and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,737±$212Highest 17% above CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
| Ellington and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,751Highest about the CT average |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$4,538Lowest 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.3 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Preston and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Highest CT: 10% |
2.4%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 18.4%±3.9Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
| Ellington and Brooklyn 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 | #46 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ellington School District | Preston School District | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Ellington High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
— | — |
| 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.