Compare towns
Torrington vs Lancaster vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Torrington has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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.
| Measure | Torrington | Lancaster | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 35,547Highest |
8,606Lowest |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.9±1.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Torrington and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,856±$5k 12% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $215,500±$8kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$249,500±$17k 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$43Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,042 62% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,780Lowest 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #132 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Torrington School District | Nashoba | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Torrington High School | None in town | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 9.7Lowest |
| 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.