What stands out worked out from the figures below

Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).

Webster has the most renters (40.2% 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.

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

Measure	Beacon Falls	Webster
People
Population	6,147Lowest	17,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.4±3.8Highest 24% above U.S.	39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	18%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Webster and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Beacon Falls and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Webster 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	$101,516±$42kHighest 26% above U.S.	$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S.
	Beacon Falls and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$350,300±$34kLowest 5% above U.S.	$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S.
	Webster and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,921±$286Highest 36% above U.S.	$1,228±$81Lowest 13% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,534Highest 109% above U.S.	$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.7%±30.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Beacon Falls and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 24% above U.S.	31 minLowest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	20.3%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#77 of 149 in CT	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Regional School District 16	Webster
High school in town	Woodland Regional High School	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	11.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.