Compare towns
Middlefield vs Winchester 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).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k median).
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 | Winchester | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,243Lowest |
10,284Highest |
5,300 |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
49.1±6.2Lowest 19% above CT |
51.3±10.3 25% above CT |
| Middlefield and Columbia 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% |
15.4%±2.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Winchester 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% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Winchester 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%Highest CT: 42.5% |
27.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest 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±$20k 4% above CT |
$66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
| Columbia and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,000±$27kHighest about the CT average |
$249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
| Middlefield and Columbia 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 |
$1,174±$116 21% below CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$4,780Lowest 28% below CT |
$5,228 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
6.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
65.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
26 min about the CT average |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #65 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northwestern Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.7 |
— |
| 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.