What stands out worked out from the figures below

Crystal Lake has the most homeowners (91.4%).

Ellington has the most renters (27.8% rent).

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	Crystal Lake	Ellington
People
Population	2,024Lowest	16,455Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.6% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	48.9±7.6Highest 19% above CT	40.9±2.4Lowest about the CT average
	Crystal Lake and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.5%±7.5Highest CT: 20.2%	24%±3.2Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Crystal Lake and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.3%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5%	18.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Crystal Lake and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%	51.4%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1%	6%±2.2Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Crystal Lake and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$143,882±$29kHighest 50% above CT	$129,913±$17kLowest 36% above CT
	Crystal Lake and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,800±$35kLowest about the CT average	$366,900±$17kHighest about the CT average
	Ellington and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,737±$212 17% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,146Highest 8% above CT	$6,751Lowest about the CT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±93.3Lowest CT: 52.6%	45.5%±10.3Highest CT: 52.6%
	Ellington and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.7%Lowest CT: 10%	2.4%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.4%Highest CT: 66.5%	72.2%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 10 yrs newer than CT	1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minHighest 47% above CT	31 minLowest 18% above CT
Work from home	17.5%±10Lowest CT: 16%	18.4%±3.9Highest CT: 16%
	Ellington and Crystal Lake 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	—	#46 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Ellington School District
High school in town	—	Ellington High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.3
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.