What stands out worked out from the figures below

Newfields has the most expensive homes ($646k median).

Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Newfields	Thompson
People
Population	2,023Lowest	9,337Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S.	54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Newfields and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S.	$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S.	$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S.	$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Thompson and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#130 of 149 in CT
School district	Newfields School District	Thompson School District
High school in town	None in town	Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	7.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.