Compare towns
Middletown vs Brookfield vs Cromwell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middletown has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
Cromwell has the most people working from home (18.4%).
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 | Middletown | Brookfield | Cromwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 47,958Highest |
17,706 |
14,334Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.1±1.5Lowest 7% below CT |
44.3±1.8Highest 8% above CT |
43.5±2.5 6% above CT |
| Brookfield and Cromwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.1%±3.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Cromwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
22%±3.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Cromwell and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
49.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.5%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.4%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,438±$6kLowest 17% below CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$110,596±$10k 15% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,300±$11kLowest 20% below CT |
$479,700±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
$325,200±$22k 11% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,446±$45Lowest about the CT average |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,628±$154 9% above CT |
| Brookfield and Cromwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,412 3% below CT |
$7,594Highest 14% above CT |
$6,137Lowest 8% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±5.3 CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
61%±11.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Cromwell and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest CT: 10% |
4.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below CT |
28 minHighest 6% above CT |
24 min 11% below CT |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4Highest CT: 16% |
| Cromwell and Brookfield 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 | #121 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT | #69 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services | Brookfield School District | Cromwell School District |
| High school in town | Middletown High School | Brookfield High School | Cromwell High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
12.7Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.