Compare towns

Willimantic vs Cranston vs Windham

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Cranston has the most people working from home (13%).

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.

MeasureWillimanticCranstonWindham
People
Population
18,096Lowest
83,250Highest
23,961
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
31.3±2.7Lowest
20% below U.S.
39.6±0.9Highest
about the U.S. average
33.7±1.9
13% below U.S.
Kids under 18
20.6%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.6%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.1%±2.4
U.S.: 22%
Willimantic and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
11%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.3%±1.9
U.S.: 17.2%
Cranston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
24.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
36.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
19.1%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±0.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
15.2%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
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
43% below U.S.
$90,206±$4kHighest
12% above U.S.
$55,736±$5k
31% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$190,900±$17kLowest
43% below U.S.
$378,300±$7kHighest
14% above U.S.
$209,800±$9k
37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,063±$68Lowest
25% below U.S.
$1,375±$59Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,107±$69
22% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,678
50% above U.S.
$5,103Highest
64% above U.S.
$4,633Lowest
49% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.9%±8.1
U.S.: 51.1%
47.3%±6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.1%±8.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
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
U.S.: 12.5%
10.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
20.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
34.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
47.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1953Lowest
27 yrs older than U.S.
1958Highest
22 yrs older than U.S.
1956
24 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
12% below U.S.
24 minHighest
8% below U.S.
24 minHighest
8% below U.S.
Work from home
6.2%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
13%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.1%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading — #27 of 38 in RI #143 of 149 in CT
School district — Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS
High school in town — Cranston High School West Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
15.4Highest
9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.