Compare towns

Willimantic vs Hamden vs Colebrook

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).
Hamden has the most people working from home (16.3%).
Colebrook has the most homeowners (91.6%).

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.

MeasureWillimanticHamdenColebrook
People
Population
18,096
61,045Highest
1,494Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.3%
CT: +0.9%
— —
Median age
31.3±2.7Lowest
24% below CT
38.7±0.9
6% below CT
52.1±5Highest
27% above CT
Kids under 18
20.6%±2.5Highest
CT: 20.2%
17%±1.5Lowest
CT: 20.2%
17.9%±3.9
CT: 20.2%
Willimantic and Colebrook 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%
18.1%±1.3
CT: 18.5%
26%±4.2Highest
CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
24.2%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
47.8%Highest
CT: 42.5%
36.6%
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
19.1%±2.1Highest
CT: 7.1%
15%±1.1
CT: 7.1%
5.4%±1.8Lowest
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$45,962±$7kLowest
52% below CT
$98,306±$7k
about the CT average
$111,250±$17kHighest
16% above CT
Colebrook and Hamden 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
$298,200±$9k
19% below CT
$342,800±$19kHighest
7% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,063±$68Lowest
29% below CT
$1,746±$50Highest
17% above CT
$1,333±$626
10% below CT
Hamden and Colebrook 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
$7,784Highest
17% above CT
$6,211
7% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.9%±8.1Highest
CT: 52.6%
50.9%±5.4
CT: 52.6%
42.1%±55Lowest
CT: 52.6%
Willimantic and Hamden 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%
9.3%
CT: 10%
8.3%Lowest
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
34.9%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
62.4%
CT: 66.5%
91.6%Highest
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1953Lowest
14 yrs older than CT
1964Highest
3 yrs older than CT
1960
7 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
12% below CT
22 minLowest
18% below CT
34 minHighest
29% above CT
Work from home
6.2%±2Lowest
CT: 16%
16.3%±2.1Highest
CT: 16%
7%±3.8
CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading — #122 of 149 in CT —
School district — Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services Colebrook School District
High school in town — Hamden High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
13.5
—
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.