What stands out worked out from the figures below

Willimantic has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

Meriden has the most homeowners (60.1%).

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	Meriden
People
Population	18,096Lowest	60,545Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Highest CT: +0.9%	0%Lowest CT: +0.9%
Median age	31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT	38.9±1.3Highest 5% below CT
Kids under 18	20.6%±2.5Lowest CT: 20.2%	21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%
	Meriden 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%	16.2%±1.2Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.2%Highest CT: 42.5%	22.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1%	5.6%±0.9Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT	$71,253±$4kHighest 26% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT	$241,200±$7kHighest 34% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT	$1,294±$72Highest 13% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,678Lowest 30% below CT	$5,129Highest 23% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6%	53.4%±4.9Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Willimantic and Meriden 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%	13.2%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	60.1%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT	1960Highest 7 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 12% below CT	23 minLowest 13% below CT
Work from home	6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16%	8.6%±1.6Highest CT: 16%
	Meriden and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#124 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District
High school in town	—	Francis T. Maloney High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	16.2
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.