Compare towns
Wethersfield vs Colchester vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wethersfield has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Colchester has the most renters (23.5% rent).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($480k 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 | Wethersfield | Colchester | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,250Highest |
15,648Lowest |
17,706 |
| Median age | 43.4±1.5Lowest 6% above CT |
43.5±3.8 6% above CT |
44.3±1.8Highest 8% above CT |
| Brookfield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
20.7%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Wethersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.3%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Wethersfield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.8% CT: 42.5% |
49.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±1.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.6%±1.3 CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Wethersfield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,806±$12k 32% above CT |
$122,390±$14kLowest 28% above CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
| Brookfield and Wethersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $324,600±$11kLowest 12% below CT |
$366,800±$16k about the CT average |
$479,700±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,370±$150Lowest 8% below CT |
$1,474±$153 about the CT average |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,296 10% above CT |
$6,212Lowest 6% below CT |
$7,594Highest 14% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±11.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
44.4%±10.4 CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Wethersfield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Highest CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% CT: 66.5% |
76.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
30 minHighest 14% above CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
| Work from home | 18%±2.6 CT: 16% |
18.4%±3.8Highest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3Lowest CT: 16% |
| Colchester and Wethersfield 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 | #92 of 149 in CT | #64 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Capitol Region Education Council · Wethersfield School District | Colchester School District | Brookfield School District |
| High school in town | Wethersfield High School | Bacon Academy | Brookfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
12.7 |
| 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.