What stands out worked out from the figures below

Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).

Bolton has the most kids (20% under 18).

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	Thompson	Bolton
People
Population	9,337Highest	4,853Lowest
Median age	54.1±2.2Highest 32% above CT	43.7±3.3Lowest 6% above CT
Kids under 18	11.4%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%	20%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	24.4%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5%	19.7%±3.4Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Thompson and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%	51.3%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1%	7.7%±2.6Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,629±$18kLowest about the CT average	$126,364±$19kHighest 32% above CT
	Bolton and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$291,900±$24kLowest 20% below CT	$367,600±$17kHighest about the CT average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,012±$344Lowest 32% below CT	$1,127±$55Highest 24% below CT
	Bolton and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,822Lowest 42% below CT	$8,091Highest 22% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54%±18.7Highest CT: 52.6%	39.8%±30.8Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Thompson and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.9%Lowest CT: 10%	7.2%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Lowest CT: 66.5%	88%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 4 yrs older than CT	1969Highest 2 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 20% above CT	25 minLowest 6% below CT
Work from home	13.1%±4.4Lowest CT: 16%	20.7%±4.6Highest CT: 16%
	Bolton and Thompson 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	#130 of 149 in CT	#79 of 149 in CT
School district	Thompson School District	Bolton School District
High school in town	Tourtellotte Memorial High School	Bolton High School
Students per teacherat that high school	7.9Highest	7.4Lowest
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.