What stands out worked out from the figures below

Andover has the shortest commute (25 min average).

Crystal Lake has the most kids (24.5% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Andover	Crystal Lake
People
Population	3,152Highest	2,024Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+10.6% CT: +0.9%
Median age	51.2±5.4Highest 25% above CT	48.9±7.6Lowest 19% above CT
	Andover and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.2%±4.4Lowest CT: 20.2%	24.5%±7.5Highest CT: 20.2%
	Crystal Lake 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%	23.3%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5%
	Crystal Lake and Andover 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%	45.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.1Highest CT: 7.1%	6.3%±3.7Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Andover and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,632±$20kLowest 41% above CT	$143,882±$29kHighest 50% above CT
	Crystal Lake and Andover 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	$361,800±$35kLowest about the CT average
	Andover and Crystal Lake 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	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,554Lowest about the CT average	$7,146Highest 8% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.8%±38.4Highest CT: 52.6%	0%±93.3Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Andover and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.8%Highest CT: 10%	1.7%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.1%Highest CT: 66.5%	91.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977 10 yrs newer than CT	1977 10 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 5% below CT	39 minHighest 47% above CT
Work from home	15.5%±5.4Lowest CT: 16%	17.5%±10Highest CT: 16%
	Crystal Lake and Andover 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	—
School district	Andover School District	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.