What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cromwell has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Colchester has the most expensive homes ($367k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Cromwell	Colchester
People
Population	14,334Lowest	15,648Highest
Median age	43.5±2.5 6% above CT	43.5±3.8 6% above CT
Kids under 18	19.1%±3.1Lowest CT: 20.2%	20.7%±2.8Highest CT: 20.2%
	Colchester and Cromwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±3.2Highest CT: 18.5%	20.3%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Cromwell and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%	49.7%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.4%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%	4.6%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Cromwell and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,596±$10kLowest 15% above CT	$122,390±$14kHighest 28% above CT
	Colchester and Cromwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,200±$22kLowest 11% below CT	$366,800±$16kHighest about the CT average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,628±$154Highest 9% above CT	$1,474±$153Lowest about the CT average
	Cromwell and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,137Lowest 8% below CT	$6,212Highest 6% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61%±11.9Highest CT: 52.6%	44.4%±10.4Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Cromwell and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.9%Highest CT: 10%	3.9%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest CT: 66.5%	76.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT	1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 11% below CT	30 minHighest 14% above CT
Work from home	18.4%±4 CT: 16%	18.4%±3.8 CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#69 of 149 in CT	#64 of 149 in CT
School district	Cromwell School District	Colchester School District
High school in town	Cromwell High School	Bacon Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	9.8Lowest
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.