Compare towns
Norwalk vs Willimantic vs Windham vs Stamford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwalk has the most homeowners (55.6%).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Stamford has the most people working from home (19.4%).
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 | Norwalk | Willimantic | Windham | Stamford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 92,187 |
18,096Lowest |
23,961 |
137,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% CT: +0.9% |
+2.3%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
— | +10.5%Highest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 40.6±1Highest about the CT average |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
38.4±0.7 7% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±1.2 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
18.4%±1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Willimantic and Windham 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% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±0.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Norwalk and Stamford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% CT: 42.5% |
24.2% CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
51.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±0.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±0.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Willimantic and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,616±$7k 12% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$55,736±$5k 42% below CT |
$111,586±$5kHighest 17% above CT |
| Stamford and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $558,000±$21k 52% above CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$209,800±$9k 43% below CT |
$624,400±$12kHighest 70% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,073±$87 39% above CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,107±$69 26% below CT |
$2,276±$58Highest 53% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,817 18% above CT |
$4,678 30% below CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$9,314Highest 40% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.1%±5.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
52.8%±3.5 CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Willimantic 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% |
20.7% CT: 10% |
10.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
47.4% CT: 66.5% |
48.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 same as CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1956 11 yrs older than CT |
1973Highest 6 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
23 minLowest 12% below CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
29 minHighest 8% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±1.4 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
19.4%±1.5Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #112 of 149 in CT | — | #143 of 149 in CT | #111 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Norwalk School District | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Stamford School District |
| High school in town | Brien McMahon High School | — | Windham High School | Westhill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
14.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.