Compare towns
Westford vs Brooklyn vs Fairfax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westford has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k median).
Fairfax has the most people working from home (26.7%).
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 | Westford | Brooklyn | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,290Lowest |
8,517Highest |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±8.6 13% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
38.8±3.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Brooklyn and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfax and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brooklyn and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,750±$12k 40% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$128,963±$29kHighest 60% above U.S. |
| Fairfax and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$378,200±$22k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,080±$131Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,282Highest 101% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,497 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairfax and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairfax and Westford 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 | — | #113 of 149 in CT | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Brooklyn School District | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.