Compare towns
West Haven vs Willimantic vs New Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Haven has the most homeowners (50.6%).
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
New Haven has the most people working from home (13.9%).
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 | West Haven | Willimantic | New Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,351 |
18,096Lowest |
134,349Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
+2.3% CT: +0.9% |
+3.3%Highest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 35.8±1.5Highest 13% below CT |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
31.9±0.5 22% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
21.3%±1Highest CT: 20.2% |
| New Haven and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16%±1.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
11.8%±0.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.5% CT: 42.5% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
38.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
14.9%±0.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,382±$5kHighest 22% below CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$56,851±$4k 41% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $291,700±$9kHighest 20% below CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$287,100±$16k 22% below CT |
| West Haven and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,442±$43 3% below CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,488±$33Highest about the CT average |
| New Haven and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,941Highest 4% above CT |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,430 3% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.8Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
56.6%±3.2Highest CT: 52.6% |
| New Haven and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
23.4% CT: 10% |
23.9%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9% CT: 66.5% |
28.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Highest 8 yrs older than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1954 13 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below CT |
23 minHighest 12% below CT |
22 minLowest 19% below CT |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.4 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
13.9%±1.6Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #120 of 149 in CT | — | #145 of 149 in CT |
| School district | New Haven School District · West Haven School District | — | Common Ground High School District · Elm City Montessori School District |
| High school in town | West Haven High School | — | Wilbur Cross High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.6Highest |
— | 13.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.