Compare towns

Willimantic vs Sprague vs Windham vs Norwich

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).
Sprague has the highest household income ($93k).
Norwich has the most people working from home (7.2%).

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.

MeasureWillimanticSpragueWindhamNorwich
People
Population
18,096
2,962Lowest
23,961
39,973Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.3%Highest
CT: +0.9%
— —
-0.9%Lowest
CT: +0.9%
Median age
31.3±2.7Lowest
24% below CT
48.5±10.7Highest
18% above CT
33.7±1.9
18% below CT
38.5±1.7
6% below CT
Sprague and Norwich 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%
17.1%±5.4Lowest
CT: 20.2%
20.1%±2.4
CT: 20.2%
20.9%±1.8Highest
CT: 20.2%
Norwich 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%
19.9%±3.9Highest
CT: 18.5%
14.3%±1.9
CT: 18.5%
16.9%±1.7
CT: 18.5%
Sprague and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
24.2%Highest
CT: 42.5%
19.2%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
22.7%
CT: 42.5%
23.1%
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
19.1%±2.1Highest
CT: 7.1%
0.6%±0.6Lowest
CT: 7.1%
15.2%±1.8
CT: 7.1%
5.6%±1.2
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
$92,850±$11kHighest
3% below CT
$55,736±$5k
42% below CT
$65,024±$5k
32% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$190,900±$17kLowest
48% below CT
$273,500±$17kHighest
25% below CT
$209,800±$9k
43% below CT
$242,300±$11k
34% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,063±$68Lowest
29% below CT
$1,247±$144
16% below CT
$1,107±$69
26% below CT
$1,253±$68Highest
16% below CT
Norwich and Sprague 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
$4,668
30% below CT
$4,633Lowest
30% below CT
$4,703Highest
29% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.9%±8.1
CT: 52.6%
26.9%±12.2Lowest
CT: 52.6%
57.1%±8.1Highest
CT: 52.6%
56.2%±7.2
CT: 52.6%
Windham and Norwich 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%
8.1%Lowest
CT: 10%
20.7%
CT: 10%
16.7%
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
34.9%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
67.2%Highest
CT: 66.5%
47.4%
CT: 66.5%
53.8%
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1953Lowest
14 yrs older than CT
1959Highest
8 yrs older than CT
1956
11 yrs older than CT
1957
10 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
12% below CT
30 minHighest
12% above CT
24 min
8% below CT
24 min
9% below CT
Work from home
6.2%±2
CT: 16%
5%±2.9Lowest
CT: 16%
6.1%±1.7
CT: 16%
7.2%±2Highest
CT: 16%
Norwich 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 — #141 of 149 in CT #143 of 149 in CT #133 of 149 in CT
School district — Sprague School District Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District
High school in town — None in town Windham High School Norwich Free Academy
Students per teacherat that high school — —
9.8Lowest
14.8Highest
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.