Compare towns
Willimantic vs Suffield 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).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k 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.
| Measure | Willimantic | Suffield | Orange | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096 |
15,702 |
14,315Lowest |
23,961Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
| Orange and Suffield 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% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange 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% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Suffield 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% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2 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 |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$55,736±$5k 42% below CT |
| Orange and Suffield 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 |
$407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$209,800±$9k 43% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,107±$69 26% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 30% below CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Lowest 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% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
20.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest 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 |
26 min 3% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Orange 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 | — | #57 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Suffield 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 | — | Suffield High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.