What stands out worked out from the figures below

Burlington has the most kids (25.9% under 18).

Durham has the shortest commute (23 min average).

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	Burlington	Durham
People
Population	9,680Highest	7,208Lowest
Median age	39.9±2.4Lowest about the CT average	45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT
Kids under 18	25.9%±3.3Highest CT: 20.2%	16.4%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	13.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5%	17.4%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5%
	Durham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.8%Highest CT: 42.5%	47.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1%	3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,120±$13kHighest 72% above CT	$158,857±$7kLowest 66% above CT
	Burlington and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$418,700±$21kLowest 14% above CT	$424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT
	Durham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,427±$671Highest 4% below CT	$1,154±$448Lowest 22% below CT
	Burlington and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,464Lowest 12% above CT	$7,998Highest 20% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.1%±15.9Highest CT: 52.6%	44.9%±28.4Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Burlington and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.1%Lowest CT: 10%	3.4%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.6%Highest CT: 66.5%	93.2%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 14 yrs newer than CT	1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 9% above CT	23 minLowest 13% below CT
Work from home	25%±4.1Highest CT: 16%	20.5%±6.4Lowest CT: 16%
	Burlington and Durham 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	#58 of 149 in CT	#88 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 10	Regional School District 13
High school in town	Lewis S. Mills High School	Coginchaug Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	8.9Lowest
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.