Compare towns
Ashford vs Ware vs Willington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Ware has the oldest population (median age 43.1).
Willington has the most renters (36% rent).
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 | Ashford | Ware | Willington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,226Lowest |
10,048Highest |
5,575 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3 about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.5±7.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Ware and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Willington and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,926±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$91,114±$12k 13% above U.S. |
| Ashford and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,800±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$305,800±$48k 8% below U.S. |
| Ashford and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$208 12% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,357±$116Highest 4% below U.S. |
| Willington and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982Highest 124% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,419 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
70%±20.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Willington and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
64%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashford and Ware 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 | #90 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #104 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ashford School District | Ware | Willington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.