Compare towns
Middlefield vs Windham vs Beacon Falls 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 most expensive homes ($376k median).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Columbia has the highest household income ($127k).
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 | Windham | Beacon Falls | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,243Lowest |
23,961Highest |
6,147 |
5,300 |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
48.4±3.8 18% 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% |
20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8 CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Windham 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% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Columbia 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% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
44.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2 CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,837±$20k 4% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$101,516±$42k 6% above CT |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
| Columbia and Beacon Falls 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 |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$350,300±$34k 5% 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 |
$1,107±$69 26% below CT |
$1,921±$286 29% above CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,534 about the CT average |
$5,228 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% CT: 10% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
85.5% CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT |
1984 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
24 minLowest 8% below CT |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Beacon Falls 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 | #143 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Regional School District 16 | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Woodland Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.