Compare towns
Willimantic vs Brooklyn vs Columbia vs Windham
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).
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 | Brooklyn | Columbia | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096 |
8,517 |
5,300Lowest |
23,961Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
45.6±2.5 11% above CT |
51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT |
33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
| Columbia and Brooklyn 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% |
20.6%±4.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9 CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Columbia and Brooklyn 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% |
23.9% CT: 42.5% |
34.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Willimantic and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$96,207±$15k about the CT average |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
$55,736±$5k 42% below CT |
| Columbia and Brooklyn 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 |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
$361,500±$16kHighest about the CT average |
$209,800±$9k 43% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68 29% below CT |
$1,125±$98Highest 24% below CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
$1,107±$69 26% below CT |
| Brooklyn and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 30% below CT |
$4,538Lowest 32% below CT |
$5,228Highest 21% below CT |
$4,633 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Willimantic 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% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
20.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
83.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
1956 11 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2 CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Brooklyn 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 | — | #113 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Brooklyn School District | Columbia School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.8 |
| 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.