Compare towns
Watertown vs Wolcott vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Watertown has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Wolcott has the most people working from home (11.2%).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k 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 | Watertown | Wolcott | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,253Highest |
16,279 |
7,492Lowest |
| Median age | 46.3±2.9Highest 13% above CT |
44.4±2.5 8% above CT |
41.5±7.7Lowest about the CT average |
| Watertown and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±3.1 CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Thomaston and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Watertown and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
37% CT: 42.5% |
34%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Thomaston and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,691±$7kLowest 6% above CT |
$110,850±$10kHighest 16% above CT |
$103,218±$15k 8% above CT |
| Wolcott and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,500±$16kHighest 9% below CT |
$326,200±$17k 11% below CT |
$282,600±$23kLowest 23% below CT |
| Watertown and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$227 14% below CT |
$1,464±$913Highest about the CT average |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
| Wolcott and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,014Highest 9% below CT |
$5,799Lowest 13% below CT |
$5,915 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±13.3 CT: 52.6% |
49.8%±24.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Highest CT: 10% |
1.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
2.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% CT: 66.5% |
88.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below CT |
30 minHighest 13% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
11.2%±3.1Highest CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Wolcott and Watertown 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 | #126 of 149 in CT | #76 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Watertown School District | Wolcott School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Watertown High School | Wolcott High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
10.1Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.