What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the most renters (35.1% rent).

Wolcott has the highest household income ($111k).

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	Bristol	Wolcott
People
Population	61,462Highest	16,279Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT	44.4±2.5Highest 8% above CT
Kids under 18	20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2%	19.4%±3.1Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Bristol and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%	18.8%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5%
	Wolcott and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.3%Lowest CT: 42.5%	37%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±0.9Highest CT: 7.1%	5.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bristol and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,076±$6kLowest 17% below CT	$110,850±$10kHighest 16% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$277,800±$8kLowest 24% below CT	$326,200±$17kHighest 11% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,338±$45Lowest 10% below CT	$1,464±$913Highest about the CT average
	Wolcott and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,449Lowest 18% below CT	$5,799Highest 13% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6%	49.8%±24.2Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Bristol and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Highest CT: 10%	1.8%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	88.4%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest same as CT	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 11% below CT	30 minHighest 13% above CT
Work from home	11.4%±1.7Highest CT: 16%	11.2%±3.1Lowest CT: 16%
	Bristol and Wolcott 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	#115 of 149 in CT	#76 of 149 in CT
School district	Bristol School District	Wolcott School District
High school in town	Bristol Central High School	Wolcott High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.0Highest	10.1Lowest
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.