Compare towns
Cheshire vs Willimantic vs Southington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cheshire has the highest household income ($147k).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Southington has the oldest population (median age 45).
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 | Cheshire | Willimantic | Southington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,040 |
18,096Lowest |
43,803Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 44.9±1.4 9% above CT |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
45±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
| Southington and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±1.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Cheshire and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±1.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21%±1.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Cheshire and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
43.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,528±$12kHighest 53% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$124,309±$9k 30% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,000±$17kHighest 20% above CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$373,800±$10k about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,398±$116 6% below CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,472±$77Highest about the CT average |
| Southington and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,755Highest 17% above CT |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,206 7% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±6.3 CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
43.9%±8.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
4.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above CT |
23 minLowest 12% below CT |
24 min 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
17.3%±2.9 CT: 16% |
| Cheshire and Southington 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 | #18 of 149 in CT | — | #51 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Cheshire School District | — | Southington School District |
| High school in town | Cheshire High School | — | Southington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.