Compare towns
Ashford vs Windham vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Thomaston has the oldest population (median age 41.5).
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 | Windham | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,226Lowest |
23,961Highest |
7,492 |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3 8% below CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
41.5±7.7Highest about the CT average |
| Thomaston and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Thomaston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Ashford and Thomaston 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 CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,926±$23kHighest 27% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$103,218±$15k 8% above CT |
| Ashford and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,800±$18kHighest 9% below CT |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$282,600±$23k 23% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$208Highest 16% below CT |
$1,107±$69 26% below CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
| Ashford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982Highest 5% above CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$5,915 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% CT: 10% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above CT |
24 minLowest 8% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #90 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ashford School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.