Compare towns
Willimantic vs Franklin vs Columbia
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).
Franklin has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
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 | Franklin | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,096Highest |
2,004Lowest |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
40.3±4.3 about the CT average |
51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT |
| Columbia and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
27.2%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Franklin 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% |
17.4%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
34.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$105,000±$10k 10% above CT |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
| Columbia and Franklin 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 |
$326,200±$20k 11% below CT |
$361,500±$16kHighest about the CT average |
| Columbia and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68Highest 29% below CT |
$767±$529Lowest 48% below CT |
$966±$304 35% below CT |
| Willimantic and Columbia 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 |
$3,934Lowest 41% below CT |
$5,228Highest 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
19.5%±18.4 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
6.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
84.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1973 6 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
6.8%±2.4 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Franklin School District | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.