Compare towns
Monroe vs Preston vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Monroe has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Preston has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Monroe | Preston | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,949Highest |
4,821Lowest |
17,706 |
| Median age | 43.5±2.2Lowest 6% above CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
| Preston and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3 CT: 20.2% |
| Monroe and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.3% CT: 42.5% |
28.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Monroe and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $157,250±$12kHighest 64% above CT |
$116,648±$27kLowest 22% above CT |
$148,360±$11k 55% above CT |
| Monroe and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $503,200±$31kHighest 37% above CT |
$361,900±$13kLowest about the CT average |
$479,700±$24k 31% above CT |
| Monroe and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $994±$860Lowest 33% below CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
| Brookfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$4,749Lowest 29% below CT |
$7,594 14% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±46.4 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Preston and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
91.7% CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.4%±3.3 CT: 16% |
10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3Highest CT: 16% |
| Brookfield and Monroe 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 | #48 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Monroe School District | Preston School District | Brookfield School District |
| High school in town | Masuk High School | None in town | Brookfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| 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.