What stands out worked out from the figures below

Colchester has the most kids (20.7% under 18).

Durham has the highest household income ($159k).

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	Colchester	Durham
People
Population	15,648Highest	7,208Lowest
Median age	43.5±3.8Lowest 6% above CT	45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT
	Durham and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.7%±2.8Highest CT: 20.2%	16.4%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Colchester and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.3%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5%	17.4%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Colchester and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.7%Highest CT: 42.5%	47.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.3Highest CT: 7.1%	3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Colchester and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,390±$14kLowest 28% above CT	$158,857±$7kHighest 66% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$366,800±$16kLowest about the CT average	$424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,474±$153Highest about the CT average	$1,154±$448Lowest 22% below CT
	Colchester and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,212Lowest 6% below CT	$7,998Highest 20% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.4%±10.4Lowest CT: 52.6%	44.9%±28.4Highest CT: 52.6%
	Durham and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.9%Highest CT: 10%	3.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%	93.2%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT	1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 14% above CT	23 minLowest 13% below CT
Work from home	18.4%±3.8Lowest CT: 16%	20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16%
	Durham and Colchester 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	#64 of 149 in CT	#88 of 149 in CT
School district	Colchester School District	Regional School District 13
High school in town	Bacon Academy	Coginchaug Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Highest	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.