Compare towns
Willimantic vs Sterling vs Killingly vs Vernon
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).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Killingly has the most expensive homes ($289k median).
Vernon has the most people working from home (13.4%).
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 | Sterling | Killingly | Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096 |
3,629Lowest |
17,867 |
30,577Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
39.5±3Highest 4% below CT |
39.4±2.5 4% below CT |
| Killingly and Sterling 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% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
16.9%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling 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% |
13%±3.8 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±1.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Killingly and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2% CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
22.9% CT: 42.5% |
38%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
7.8%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$85,356±$6k 11% below CT |
| Sterling and Vernon 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 |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$288,600±$15kHighest 21% below CT |
$275,500±$11k 25% below CT |
| Killingly and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68 29% below CT |
— | $1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,425±$77Highest 4% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 30% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
$3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$5,804Highest 13% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
39.3%±5.7 CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic and Killingly 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% |
8.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.4% CT: 10% |
13.4% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
71.6% CT: 66.5% |
53.2% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
28 min 5% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
13.4%±2.5Highest CT: 16% |
| Vernon and Sterling 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 | — | #119 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #107 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Sterling School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Vernon School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Killingly High School | Rockville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| 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.