Compare towns
Willimantic vs Cranston vs Windham vs Norwich
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%).
Norwich has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Cranston | Windham | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096Lowest |
83,250Highest |
23,961 |
39,973 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.9%Lowest 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. |
38.5±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Cranston and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Willimantic 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%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Norwich and Cranston 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% |
23.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.2Lowest 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. |
$65,024±$5k 19% 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. |
$242,300±$11k 27% 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. |
$1,253±$68 11% below U.S. |
| Cranston and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 50% above U.S. |
$5,103Highest 64% above U.S. |
$4,633Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$4,703 51% 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% |
56.2%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Norwich 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% |
16.7% 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% |
53.8% 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. |
1957 23 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. |
24 min 9% 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% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #27 of 38 in RI | #143 of 149 in CT | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Achievement First Rhode Island · Cranston | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | — | Cranston High School West | Windham High School | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.4Highest |
9.8Lowest |
14.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.