Compare towns
Willimantic vs Bethany vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Willimantic | Bethany | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,096Highest |
5,288Lowest |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT |
| Columbia and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Willimantic and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Columbia and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$127,000±$30k 33% above CT |
| Bethany and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
| Bethany and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68Highest 29% below CT |
— | $966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
| Willimantic and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$5,228 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Bethany 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 | — | #30 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.