Compare towns
Webster vs Winchester vs Killingly vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k median).
Killingly has the highest household income ($84k).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Webster | Winchester | Killingly | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
10,284Lowest |
17,867 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$66,519±$12k 18% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Webster and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$4,780Highest 53% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Killingly 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #97 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | Northwestern Regional High School | Killingly High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.7Lowest |
11.1 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.