Compare towns
Prospect vs Johnston vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has the highest household income ($126k).
Johnston has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Waterbury has the most affordable homes ($209k 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.
| Measure | Prospect | Johnston | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,458Lowest |
29,835 |
114,869Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±3.9Highest 20% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
37.8±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Prospect and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Prospect and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
17.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Johnston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,394±$18kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$91,866±$6k 14% above U.S. |
$51,886±$2kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,400±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$355,500±$13kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$208,500±$6kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Johnston and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$433Highest 27% above U.S. |
$1,275±$132 10% below U.S. |
$1,225±$38Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Prospect and Johnston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,504Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,614Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$5,449 75% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±31.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterbury and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Prospect and Johnston 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 | #50 of 149 in CT | #32 of 38 in RI | #144 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Johnston | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | None in town | Johnston Senior High | Crosby High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
17.0Highest |
| 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.