Compare towns
Willimantic vs Manchester vs Windham
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).
Manchester has the most people working from home (14.3%).
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 | Manchester | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,096Lowest |
59,635Highest |
23,961 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
37±1.2Highest 10% below CT |
33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
20%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
| 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 CT: 18.5% |
15.5%±1.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Manchester 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% CT: 42.5% |
40.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| 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 52% below CT |
$86,840±$4kHighest 9% below CT |
$55,736±$5k 42% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$247,100±$6kHighest 33% below CT |
$209,800±$9k 43% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,519±$66Highest about the CT average |
$1,107±$69 26% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 30% below CT |
$5,652Highest 15% below CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
48.1%±6.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| 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 CT: 10% |
10.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
20.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
56.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1962Highest 5 yrs older than CT |
1956 11 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 12% below CT |
23 minLowest 15% below CT |
24 minHighest 8% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2 CT: 16% |
14.3%±1.9Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #135 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | — | Manchester High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.