What stands out worked out from the figures below

Crystal Lake has the oldest population (median age 48.9).

Tolland has the shortest commute (32 min average).

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	Tolland
People
Population	2,024Lowest	14,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.6% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	48.9±7.6Highest 19% above CT	41.4±2.5Lowest about the CT average
	Crystal Lake and Tolland 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%	22.6%±3Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Crystal Lake and Tolland 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%	15.3%±2.1Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%	56.2%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±3.7Lowest CT: 7.1%	7.4%±2.3Highest CT: 7.1%
	Tolland and Crystal Lake 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	$133,264±$16kLowest 39% above CT
	Crystal Lake and Tolland 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	$365,500±$21kHighest about the CT average
	Tolland and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,680±$119 13% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,146Lowest 8% above CT	$7,403Highest 11% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±93.3Lowest CT: 52.6%	73.5%±62.4Highest CT: 52.6%
	Tolland 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%	5.3%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.4%Highest CT: 66.5%	90.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 10 yrs newer than CT	1981Highest 14 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minHighest 47% above CT	32 minLowest 20% above CT
Work from home	17.5%±10Lowest CT: 16%	20.6%±3.6Highest CT: 16%
	Tolland 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	—	#60 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Tolland School District
High school in town	—	Tolland High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.4
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.