Compare towns
Watertown vs Brooklyn vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Watertown has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Brooklyn has the most people working from home (10.7%).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k 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.
| Measure | Watertown | Brooklyn | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,253Highest |
8,517 |
7,492Lowest |
| Median age | 46.3±2.9Highest 13% above CT |
45.6±2.5 11% above CT |
41.5±7.7Lowest about the CT average |
| Watertown and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Brooklyn and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Watertown and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
23.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Thomaston and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,691±$7k 6% above CT |
$96,207±$15kLowest about the CT average |
$103,218±$15kHighest 8% above CT |
| Thomaston and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,500±$16kHighest 9% below CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
$282,600±$23kLowest 23% below CT |
| Watertown and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$227Highest 14% below CT |
$1,125±$98 24% below CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
| Watertown and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,014Highest 9% below CT |
$4,538Lowest 32% below CT |
$5,915 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±13.3 CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
77.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4Highest CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Brooklyn and Watertown 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 | #126 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Watertown School District | Brooklyn School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Watertown High School | None in town | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
— | 10.7Highest |
| 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.