Compare towns
Suffield vs Willimantic vs Brookfield vs Windsor Locks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($148k).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Suffield | Willimantic | Brookfield | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,702 |
18,096Highest |
17,706 |
12,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
| Suffield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Brookfield and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4% CT: 42.5% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$479,700±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
$258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,394±$187 6% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456 about the CT average |
$4,678 30% below CT |
$7,594Highest 14% above CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
4.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.5% CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below CT |
23 min 12% below CT |
28 minHighest 6% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7 CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Windsor Locks 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | — | #67 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | — | Brookfield School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | — | Brookfield High School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | 12.7Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| 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.