Compare towns

Willimantic vs Windham vs Hamden

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).
Hamden has the most people working from home (16.3%).

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.

MeasureWillimanticWindhamHamden
People
Population
18,096Lowest
23,961
61,045Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.3%
CT: +0.9%
— —
Median age
31.3±2.7Lowest
24% below CT
33.7±1.9
18% below CT
38.7±0.9Highest
6% below CT
Kids under 18
20.6%±2.5Highest
CT: 20.2%
20.1%±2.4
CT: 20.2%
17%±1.5Lowest
CT: 20.2%
Willimantic and Windham 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%
14.3%±1.9
CT: 18.5%
18.1%±1.3Highest
CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
24.2%
CT: 42.5%
22.7%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
47.8%Highest
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
19.1%±2.1Highest
CT: 7.1%
15.2%±1.8
CT: 7.1%
15%±1.1Lowest
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
$55,736±$5k
42% below CT
$98,306±$7kHighest
about the CT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$190,900±$17kLowest
48% below CT
$209,800±$9k
43% below CT
$298,200±$9kHighest
19% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,063±$68Lowest
29% below CT
$1,107±$69
26% below CT
$1,746±$50Highest
17% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,678
30% below CT
$4,633Lowest
30% below CT
$7,784Highest
17% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.9%±8.1
CT: 52.6%
57.1%±8.1Highest
CT: 52.6%
50.9%±5.4Lowest
CT: 52.6%
Windham and Willimantic 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%
20.7%
CT: 10%
9.3%Lowest
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
34.9%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
47.4%
CT: 66.5%
62.4%Highest
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1953Lowest
14 yrs older than CT
1956
11 yrs older than CT
1964Highest
3 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
12% below CT
24 minHighest
8% below CT
22 minLowest
18% below CT
Work from home
6.2%±2
CT: 16%
6.1%±1.7Lowest
CT: 16%
16.3%±2.1Highest
CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading — #143 of 149 in CT #122 of 149 in CT
School district — Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services
High school in town — Windham High School Hamden High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
9.8Lowest
13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.