What stands out worked out from the figures below

Norwich has the most kids (20.9% under 18).

Thompson has the most people working from home (13.1%).

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	Norwich	Thompson
People
Population	39,973Highest	9,337Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.9% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	38.5±1.7Lowest 6% below CT	54.1±2.2Highest 32% above CT
Kids under 18	20.9%±1.8Highest CT: 20.2%	11.4%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	16.9%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5%	24.4%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.1%Highest CT: 42.5%	21.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.2Highest CT: 7.1%	2.9%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,024±$5kLowest 32% below CT	$93,629±$18kHighest about the CT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$242,300±$11kLowest 34% below CT	$291,900±$24kHighest 20% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,253±$68Highest 16% below CT	$1,012±$344Lowest 32% below CT
	Norwich and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,703Highest 29% below CT	$3,822Lowest 42% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.2%±7.2Highest CT: 52.6%	54%±18.7Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Norwich and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.7%Highest CT: 10%	5.9%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%	84.3%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Lowest 10 yrs older than CT	1963Highest 4 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below CT	32 minHighest 20% above CT
Work from home	7.2%±2Lowest CT: 16%	13.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16%
	Thompson and Norwich 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	#133 of 149 in CT	#130 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District	Thompson School District
High school in town	Norwich Free Academy	Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	7.9Lowest
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.