Compare towns
Coventry vs Johnston vs Willimantic vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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 | Johnston | Willimantic | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,326 |
29,835Highest |
18,096 |
5,300Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.4±3.8 17% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
31.3±2.7Lowest 20% below U.S. |
51.3±10.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Columbia and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,213±$5k 34% above U.S. |
$91,866±$6k 14% above U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$127,000±$30kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$355,500±$13k 7% above U.S. |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$361,500±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$330 13% below U.S. |
$1,275±$132Highest 10% below U.S. |
$1,063±$68 25% below U.S. |
$966±$304Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Johnston and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,284Highest 69% above U.S. |
$4,614Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$4,678 50% above U.S. |
$5,228 68% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Columbia and Coventry 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 | #32 of 38 in RI | — | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Coventry School District | Johnston | — | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Johnston Senior High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
10.3Highest |
— | — |
| 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.