Compare towns
Cornwall vs Columbia vs Windham vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($630k 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 | Cornwall | Columbia | Windham | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,425Lowest |
5,300 |
23,961Highest |
2,303 |
| Median age | 53.9±5.1 31% above CT |
51.3±10.3 25% above CT |
33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
55.6±3.3Highest 35% above CT |
| Lyme and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3 CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±2.5 CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4 CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
30.7%±4.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Lyme and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.1% CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
63.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5 CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,864±$34k 35% above CT |
$127,000±$30k 33% above CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$135,000±$22kHighest 41% above CT |
| Lyme and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $554,600±$106k 51% above CT |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$629,900±$105kHighest 72% above CT |
| Lyme and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,047±$121 30% below CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
$1,107±$69 26% below CT |
$1,719±$1kHighest 16% above CT |
| Lyme and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,792 13% below CT |
$5,228 21% below CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$7,328Highest 10% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.8%±31.9 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
32.9%±44.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
20.7%Highest CT: 10% |
2.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
90.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 8 yrs older than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1967 same as CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
24 minLowest 8% below CT |
31 min 17% above CT |
| Work from home | 32.4%±13.6Highest CT: 16% |
21.6%±6 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
27.6%±10 CT: 16% |
| Cornwall and Lyme 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 | — | #114 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Cornwall School District | Columbia School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Regional School District 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.