What stands out worked out from the figures below

Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).

Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+28.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Willimantic	Durham
People
Population	18,096Highest	3,347Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest CT: +0.9%	+28.6%Highest CT: +0.9%
Median age	31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT	47.9±5.4Highest 17% above CT
Kids under 18	20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%	15%±4.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Willimantic and Durham 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%	19.1%±4.5Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%	42.4%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1%	4.2%±2.1Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT	$152,396±$32kHighest 59% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT	$401,700±$32kHighest 9% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT	$1,625±$1kHighest 9% above CT
	Durham and Willimantic 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	$7,107Highest 7% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.9%±8.1Lowest CT: 52.6%	57.7%±35Highest CT: 52.6%
	Durham 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%	6.1%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	90%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT	1975Highest 8 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 12% below CT	24 minHighest 10% below CT
Work from home	6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16%	20%±6.7Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#88 of 149 in CT
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.