Compare towns
Willimantic vs Windham vs Blackstone vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Windham | Blackstone | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,096 |
23,961 |
9,255Lowest |
39,973Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 20% below U.S. |
33.7±1.9 13% below U.S. |
43.2±1.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.5±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Blackstone and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Blackstone 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 43% below U.S. |
$55,736±$5k 31% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$65,024±$5k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$209,800±$9k 37% below U.S. |
$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$242,300±$11k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,107±$69 22% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,253±$68Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Norwich and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678 50% above U.S. |
$4,633Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,703 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.2%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #143 of 149 in CT | #207 of 282 in MA | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Blackstone-Millville | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | Blackstone Millville RHS | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
13.6 |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.