What stands out worked out from the figures below

Starks has the oldest population (median age 46.7).

Willimantic has the most people working from home (13.8%).

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	Starks	Willimantic
People
Population	556Highest	200Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.3% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME	38.5±11.9Lowest 14% below ME
	Starks and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	36.5%±11.4Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%	25.5%±16.2Highest ME: 22.4%
	Willimantic and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21%Highest ME: 36.2%	15.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	4%±6.9Highest ME: 5.8%
	Willimantic and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME	$63,472±$52kLowest 15% below ME
	Starks and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$148,500±$27kHighest 50% below ME	$131,700±$21kLowest 56% below ME
	Starks and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,063±$301 7% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,348Highest 56% below ME	$1,285Lowest 58% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4%	—
Below poverty line	19.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%	32.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME	1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 33% above ME	23 minLowest 6% below ME
Work from home	3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	13.8%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Willimantic and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME 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.