Compare towns
Ellington vs Sutton vs Crystal Lake
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellington has the most renters (27.8% rent).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k median).
Crystal Lake has the oldest population (median age 48.9).
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 | Ellington | Sutton | Crystal Lake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,455Highest |
9,452 |
2,024Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±2.4Lowest 5% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
48.9±7.6Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Crystal Lake and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Crystal Lake and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 51.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $129,913±$17kLowest 61% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$143,882±$29k 78% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,900±$17k 10% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$361,800±$35kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,737±$212Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
— |
| Ellington and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,751Lowest 116% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$7,146Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±93.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sutton and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±10Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Ellington 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Ellington School District | Sutton | — |
| High school in town | Ellington High School | Sutton High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.