What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hampton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).

Colchester has the most expensive homes ($367k median).

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	Hampton	Colchester
People
Population	1,647Lowest	15,648Highest
Median age	51.5±5.3Highest 25% above CT	43.5±3.8Lowest 6% above CT
	Hampton and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.7%±5.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	20.7%±2.8Highest CT: 20.2%
	Colchester and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.1%±2.1Highest CT: 18.5%	20.3%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%	49.7%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.9%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1%	4.6%±1.3Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$109,167±$19kLowest 14% above CT	$122,390±$14kHighest 28% above CT
	Colchester and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,800±$27kLowest 19% below CT	$366,800±$16kHighest about the CT average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,285±$288Lowest 14% below CT	$1,474±$153Highest about the CT average
	Colchester and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,364Lowest 34% below CT	$6,212Highest 6% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.5%±51.5Highest CT: 52.6%	44.4%±10.4Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Hampton and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Highest CT: 10%	3.9%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Highest CT: 66.5%	76.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Lowest 13 yrs newer than CT	1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 9% above CT	30 minHighest 14% above CT
Work from home	17.7%±5.1Lowest CT: 16%	18.4%±3.8Highest CT: 16%
	Colchester and Hampton 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	—	#64 of 149 in CT
School district	Hampton School District	Colchester School District
High school in town	None in town	Bacon Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.8
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.