Compare towns
Canterbury vs Ware vs Voluntown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canterbury has the most people working from home (14.7%).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Voluntown has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
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 | Canterbury | Ware | Voluntown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,124 |
10,048Highest |
2,604Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.4±4.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.3±1.7 24% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canterbury and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,198±$6kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$101,964±$25k 26% above U.S. |
| Canterbury and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,200±$12k about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$356,100±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Voluntown and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,166±$191Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Voluntown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,140Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,955Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±13Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±24.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canterbury and Ware 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 | #125 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #53 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Canterbury School District | Ware | Voluntown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.