Compare towns
Middlefield vs Prospect vs Beacon Falls vs Andover
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).
Prospect has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
Andover has the highest household income ($135k).
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 | Prospect | Beacon Falls | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,243 |
9,458Highest |
6,147 |
3,152Lowest |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
46.8±3.9Lowest 14% above CT |
48.4±3.8 18% above CT |
51.2±5.4 25% above CT |
| Middlefield and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Prospect and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
24.5%±4.3 CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
19.2%±5.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Prospect 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% |
40.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
44.6% CT: 42.5% |
46.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2 CT: 7.1% |
8.2%±4.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Andover and Middlefield 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 |
$126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
$101,516±$42k 6% above CT |
$134,632±$20kHighest 41% above CT |
| Andover and Prospect 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 |
$355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
$350,300±$34kLowest 5% below CT |
$376,500±$36kHighest about the CT average |
| Andover and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above CT |
$1,800±$433 21% above CT |
$1,921±$286 29% above CT |
$1,166±$745Lowest 22% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$6,504Lowest about the CT average |
$6,534 about the CT average |
$6,554 about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8Lowest CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4 CT: 52.6% |
60.8%±38.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest CT: 10% |
3.2% CT: 10% |
2.1% CT: 10% |
1.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
85.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT |
1977 10 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
25 min 5% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16% |
15.5%±5.4 CT: 16% |
| Beacon Falls and Andover 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 | #50 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT | #43 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Regional School District 16 | Regional School District 16 | Andover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Woodland Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.