Compare towns
Willimantic vs Sandy Hook vs Orange 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).
Sandy Hook has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Orange has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
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.
| Measure | Willimantic | Sandy Hook | Orange | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096 |
9,863Lowest |
14,315 |
23,961Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
43.1±3 5% above CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
| Orange 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%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
22.6%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Sandy Hook 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% |
14.4%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2% CT: 42.5% |
60.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
59.4% CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Lowest 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 |
$160,814±$25kHighest 68% above CT |
$142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
$55,736±$5k 42% below CT |
| Sandy Hook and Orange 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 |
$501,200±$33kHighest 37% above CT |
$491,500±$17k 34% above CT |
$209,800±$9k 43% below CT |
| Sandy Hook and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,866±$439 25% above CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,107±$69 26% below CT |
| Orange and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 30% below CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$8,988 35% above CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
52.4%±26.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Windham 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% |
5.6% CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
20.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
92.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
89.2% CT: 66.5% |
47.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1956 11 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below CT |
35 minHighest 33% above CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2 CT: 16% |
23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #38 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | — | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.