Compare towns
Canterbury vs Windsor vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canterbury has the most homeowners (88.7%).
Windsor has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Windsor | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,124Lowest |
29,468Highest |
5,300 |
| Median age | 48.4±4.5 18% above CT |
43.7±1.9Lowest 6% above CT |
51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT |
| Columbia and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15%±3.5 CT: 20.2% |
19.2%±2.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Windsor and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
20%±2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Canterbury and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
43.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,198±$6kLowest 8% above CT |
$104,725±$8k 9% above CT |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
| Columbia and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,200±$12k 9% below CT |
$305,200±$11kLowest 17% below CT |
$361,500±$16kHighest about the CT average |
| Columbia and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $924±$367Lowest 38% below CT |
$1,681±$62Highest 13% above CT |
$966±$304 35% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,140Lowest 38% below CT |
$5,351Highest 19% below CT |
$5,228 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±13 CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±10.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.7%Highest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 8 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above CT |
21 minLowest 19% below CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 14.7%±5.4Lowest CT: 16% |
16.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Windsor 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 | #117 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Canterbury School District | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windsor High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.