Compare towns
Bristol vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most people working from home (11.4%).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% 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 | Bristol | Windham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 61,462Highest |
23,961Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 37.9±1.5Highest 8% below CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1.7 CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bristol and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±0.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $79,076±$6kHighest 17% below CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,800±$8kHighest 24% below CT |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,338±$45Highest 10% below CT |
$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,449Highest 18% below CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±5.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest same as CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below CT |
24 minHighest 8% below CT |
| Work from home | 11.4%±1.7Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bristol School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | Bristol Central High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.