Compare towns
Middlefield vs Chester vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Chester has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Middlefield | Chester | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,243 |
3,825Lowest |
5,300Highest |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9 26% above CT |
54±3.4Highest 31% above CT |
51.3±10.3Lowest 25% above CT |
| Chester and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
17.5%±4.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Chester and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±7.2 CT: 18.5% |
26.8%±4Highest CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Chester and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% CT: 42.5% |
47.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
4%±2.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,837±$20kLowest 4% above CT |
$109,191±$18k 14% above CT |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
| Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,000±$27k about the CT average |
$442,200±$25kHighest 21% above CT |
$361,500±$16kLowest about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above CT |
$1,549±$247 4% above CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$6,364 4% below CT |
$5,228Lowest 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
57.4%±22.1 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% CT: 10% |
11.8%Highest CT: 10% |
6.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
28 min 7% above CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 16% |
18.3%±5.6 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Chester 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 | #65 of 149 in CT | #8 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Chester School District | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.