Compare towns
Coventry vs Chaplin vs Willimantic vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Coventry has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
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 | Coventry | Chaplin | Willimantic | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,326 |
2,070Lowest |
18,096Highest |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 45.4±3.8 10% above CT |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT |
| Columbia and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Coventry and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3.3 CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Columbia and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45%Highest CT: 42.5% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2 CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,213±$5k 13% above CT |
$97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
| Columbia and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,000±$23k 10% below CT |
$255,200±$24k 30% below CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$361,500±$16kHighest about the CT average |
| Columbia and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$330 17% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
$1,063±$68 29% below CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
| Chaplin and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,284Highest 20% below CT |
$4,524Lowest 32% below CT |
$4,678 30% below CT |
$5,228 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±23.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7 CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Coventry and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 1 yr older than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
23 minLowest 12% below CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.6 CT: 16% |
18.1%±10 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Chaplin 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 | #41 of 149 in CT | — | — | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Coventry School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | — | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Parish Hill High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Highest |
7.5Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.