Compare towns
Willimantic vs Prospect vs Sandy Hook
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).
Prospect has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Sandy Hook has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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.
| Measure | Willimantic | Prospect | Sandy Hook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,096Highest |
9,458Lowest |
9,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
43.1±3 5% above CT |
| Prospect and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
22.6%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Sandy Hook and Prospect 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% |
24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.4%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.3% CT: 42.5% |
60.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
$160,814±$25kHighest 68% above CT |
| Sandy Hook and Prospect 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 |
$355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
$501,200±$33kHighest 37% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,800±$433 21% above CT |
$1,866±$439Highest 25% above CT |
| Sandy Hook and Prospect 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 |
$6,504 about the CT average |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.4%±26.6 CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic and Sandy Hook 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% |
3.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.6% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
92.9% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
35 minHighest 33% above CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #50 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | — | Regional School District 16 | — |
| High school 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.