Compare towns
Windham vs Brookfield vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Brookfield has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Windham | Brookfield | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,961Highest |
17,706 |
2,303Lowest |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
55.6±3.3Highest 35% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
30.7%±4.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58.3% CT: 42.5% |
63.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$135,000±$22k 41% above CT |
| Brookfield and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$479,700±$24k 31% above CT |
$629,900±$105kHighest 72% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,719±$1k 16% above CT |
| Brookfield and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$7,594Highest 14% above CT |
$7,328 10% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1 CT: 52.6% |
32.9%±44.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
4.1% CT: 10% |
2.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.5% CT: 66.5% |
90.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1967 same as CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
27.6%±10Highest CT: 16% |
| Lyme and Brookfield 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 | #143 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Brookfield School District | Regional School District 18 |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Brookfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.7Highest |
— |
| 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.