Compare towns
Griswold vs Townsend vs Stafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Griswold has the most renters (26.7% rent).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Stafford has the shortest commute (26 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.
| Measure | Griswold | Townsend | Stafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,530Highest |
9,100Lowest |
11,511 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.7±4.8 20% above U.S. |
| Griswold and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stafford and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stafford and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,719±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$93,235±$16k 15% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42k 17% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$263,800±$22kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 17% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,086±$85Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,131 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.5%±12.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stafford and Townsend 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 | #118 of 149 in CT | #136 of 282 in MA | #96 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | North Middlesex | Stafford School District |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | North Middlesex Regional | Stafford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
13.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.