What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).

Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Webster	Beacon Falls
People
Population	17,748Highest	6,147Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average	48.4±3.8Highest 24% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%	18%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Webster and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	23.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Beacon Falls and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Webster and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S.	$101,516±$42kHighest 26% above U.S.
	Beacon Falls and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S.	$350,300±$34kLowest 5% above U.S.
	Webster and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,921±$286Highest 36% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S.	$6,534Highest 109% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.7%±30.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Beacon Falls and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 16% above U.S.	33 minHighest 24% above U.S.
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	20.3%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	#77 of 149 in CT
School district	Webster	Regional School District 16
High school in town	Bartlett High School	Woodland Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	11.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.