What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stepney has the highest household income ($154k).

Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).

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	Stepney	Willimantic
People
Population	3,979Lowest	18,096Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+2.3% CT: +0.9%
Median age	47.1±5.6Highest 15% above CT	31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT
Kids under 18	21.1%±5.6Highest CT: 20.2%	20.6%±2.5Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Stepney and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.7%±4.1Highest CT: 18.5%	11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.2%Highest CT: 42.5%	24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.1%±5.4Lowest CT: 7.1%	19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,966±$16kHighest 61% above CT	$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$475,800±$53kHighest 30% above CT	$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,750±$1kHighest 85% above CT	$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,309Highest 40% above CT	$4,678Lowest 30% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.2%±48.8Highest CT: 52.6%	55.9%±8.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Stepney and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0.8%Lowest CT: 10%	23.4%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.4%Highest CT: 66.5%	34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT	1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above CT	23 minLowest 12% below CT
Work from home	9.8%±4.3Highest CT: 16%	6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16%
	Stepney and Willimantic 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

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.