Compare towns
Willimantic vs Brookfield vs Groton vs Ansonia
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 affordable homes ($191k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (16.3%).
Groton has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Brookfield | Groton | Ansonia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096 |
17,706 |
9,490Lowest |
19,033Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest CT: +0.9% |
— | -9.6%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
-1.7% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
44.3±1.8Highest 8% above CT |
39±3.7 5% below CT |
40.1±1.6 about the CT average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±3.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.3%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Willimantic 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% |
18.8%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Brookfield and Ansonia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2% CT: 42.5% |
58.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
38.8% CT: 42.5% |
21.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$79,577±$8k 17% below CT |
$85,877±$10k 10% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$479,700±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
$306,600±$26k 16% below CT |
$287,200±$14k 22% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,250±$98 16% below CT |
$1,476±$121 about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 30% below CT |
$7,594Highest 14% above CT |
$4,411Lowest 34% below CT |
$5,446 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
46.5%±11.7 CT: 52.6% |
39.7%±10 CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
4.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
18.6% CT: 10% |
9.4% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
45.4% CT: 66.5% |
58.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1954 13 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 12% below CT |
28 minHighest 6% above CT |
18 minLowest 34% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2 CT: 16% |
16.3%±3Highest CT: 16% |
4.8%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
9.1%±2.9 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #67 of 149 in CT | — | #142 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Brookfield School District | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Ansonia School District |
| High school in town | — | Brookfield High School | — | Emmett O'Brien Technical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.