Compare towns
Derby vs Willimantic
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Derby has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Willimantic has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | Derby | Willimantic |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 12,487Lowest |
18,096Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.5%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
+2.3%Highest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 46.4±3.1Highest 13% above CT |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.9Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $79,500±$11kHighest 17% below CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,700±$21kHighest 30% below CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$95Highest about the CT average |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,510Highest 17% below CT |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.9%±12.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest same as CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the CT average |
23 minLowest 12% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.8Highest CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #138 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Derby School District | — |
| High school in town | Derby High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7 |
— |
| 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.

