What stands out worked out from the figures below

Norwalk has the most expensive homes ($558k median).

Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k 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	Norwalk	Willimantic
People
Population	92,187Highest	18,096Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.5%Highest CT: +0.9%	+2.3%Lowest CT: +0.9%
Median age	40.6±1Highest about the CT average	31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT
Kids under 18	18.8%±1.2Lowest CT: 20.2%	20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%
	Willimantic and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17%±1Highest CT: 18.5%	11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Highest CT: 42.5%	24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±0.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,616±$7kHighest 12% above CT	$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$558,000±$21kHighest 52% above CT	$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,073±$87Highest 39% above CT	$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,817Highest 18% above CT	$4,678Lowest 30% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.1%±5.2Lowest CT: 52.6%	55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6%
	Willimantic and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.1%Lowest CT: 10%	23.4%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.6%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%±1.4Highest CT: 16%	6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#112 of 149 in CT	—
School district	Norwalk School District	—
High school in town	Brien McMahon High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7	—
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.