What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bantam has the most people working from home (16%).

Willimantic has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

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	Bantam	Willimantic
People
Population	810Lowest	18,096Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.1%Lowest CT: +0.9%	+2.3%Highest CT: +0.9%
Median age	47.2±15.7Highest 15% above CT	31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT
	Bantam and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.8%±6.5Lowest CT: 20.2%	20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%
	Willimantic and Bantam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.4%±8.5Highest CT: 18.5%	11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.2%Highest CT: 42.5%	24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.3Lowest CT: 7.1%	19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	—	$45,962±$7k 52% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$317,700±$40kHighest 13% below CT	$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$688±$106Lowest 54% below CT	$1,063±$68Highest 29% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,984Lowest 40% below CT	$4,678Highest 30% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.3%±12.9Highest CT: 52.6%	55.9%±8.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Bantam and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.4%Lowest CT: 10%	23.4%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.1%Highest CT: 66.5%	34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953 14 yrs older than CT	1953 14 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the CT average	23 minLowest 12% below CT
Work from home	16%±7.9Highest CT: 16%	6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16%
	Bantam and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.