Compare towns
Colebrook vs Ware vs Winchester vs Norfolk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colebrook has the highest household income ($111k).
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k median).
Norfolk has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | Colebrook | Ware | Winchester | Norfolk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,494Lowest |
10,048 |
10,284Highest |
1,723 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 52.1±5Highest 34% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2 26% above U.S. |
48.2±7.4 24% above U.S. |
| Colebrook and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Norfolk and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Colebrook and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$91,548±$16k 13% above U.S. |
| Colebrook and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$19k 3% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$430,900±$54kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$626Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
$1,190±$116 16% below U.S. |
| Colebrook and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,211Highest 99% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$4,780 53% above U.S. |
$6,065 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±55 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.3%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #97 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Colebrook School District | Ware | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Norfolk School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Northwestern Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
9.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.