Compare towns
Andover vs Beacon Falls vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Beacon Falls has the most kids (18% under 18).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Andover | Beacon Falls | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,152Lowest |
6,147Highest |
5,300 |
| Median age | 51.2±5.4 25% above CT |
48.4±3.8Lowest 18% above CT |
51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT |
| Columbia and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Beacon Falls and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±5.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Columbia and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
44.6% CT: 42.5% |
34.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2 CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Andover and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,632±$20kHighest 41% above CT |
$101,516±$42kLowest 6% above CT |
$127,000±$30k 33% above CT |
| Andover and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,500±$36kHighest about the CT average |
$350,300±$34kLowest 5% below CT |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
| Andover and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$745 22% below CT |
$1,921±$286Highest 29% above CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
| Beacon Falls and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Highest about the CT average |
$6,534 about the CT average |
$5,228Lowest 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.8%±38.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Andover and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
2.1% CT: 10% |
6.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
85.5% CT: 66.5% |
83.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 10 yrs newer than CT |
1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT |
1984 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below CT |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.4Lowest CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Beacon Falls 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 | #43 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Andover School District | Regional School District 16 | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Woodland Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.