Compare towns

Willimantic vs Prospect vs Stepney

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 most people working from home (10.1%).
Stepney has the most expensive homes ($476k median).

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.

MeasureWillimanticProspectStepney
People
Population
18,096Highest
9,458
3,979Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.3%
CT: +0.9%
— —
Median age
31.3±2.7Lowest
24% below CT
46.8±3.9
14% above CT
47.1±5.6Highest
15% above CT
Stepney and Prospect 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%±4.1Highest
CT: 20.2%
21.1%±5.6
CT: 20.2%
Prospect and Stepney 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%
17.7%±4.1
CT: 18.5%
Prospect and Stepney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
24.2%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
40.3%
CT: 42.5%
54.2%Highest
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
19.1%±2.1Highest
CT: 7.1%
3.5%±1.8Lowest
CT: 7.1%
10.1%±5.4
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$45,962±$7kLowest
52% below CT
$126,394±$18k
32% above CT
$153,966±$16kHighest
61% above CT
Stepney 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
$475,800±$53kHighest
30% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,063±$68Lowest
29% below CT
$1,800±$433
21% above CT
$2,750±$1kHighest
85% above CT
Stepney 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
$9,309Highest
40% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.9%±8.1
CT: 52.6%
45.3%±31.8Lowest
CT: 52.6%
63.2%±48.8Highest
CT: 52.6%
Stepney 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%
3.2%
CT: 10%
0.8%Lowest
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
34.9%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
93.5%
CT: 66.5%
96.4%Highest
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1953Lowest
14 yrs older than CT
1974
7 yrs newer than CT
1982Highest
15 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
12% below CT
28 min
4% above CT
37 minHighest
41% above CT
Work from home
6.2%±2Lowest
CT: 16%
10.1%±3.2Highest
CT: 16%
9.8%±4.3
CT: 16%
Prospect and Stepney 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 — #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.