Compare towns
Willimantic vs Franklin vs Bowerbank
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willimantic has the most kids (36.5% under 18).
Franklin has the most expensive homes ($246k median).
Bowerbank has the most people working from home (30.5%).
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 | Franklin | Bowerbank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 200Lowest |
1,628Highest |
211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.7% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 38.5±11.9Lowest 14% below ME |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
58.3±17.3Highest 30% above ME |
| Bowerbank and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 36.5%±11.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
6.6%±10.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±16.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
33.6%±20.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bowerbank and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
33.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±6.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±7.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Franklin and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,472±$52kLowest 15% below ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$93,125±$30kHighest 25% above ME |
| Bowerbank and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $131,700±$21kLowest 56% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
$199,500±$125k 33% below ME |
| Franklin and Bowerbank are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $888±$306 22% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,285 58% below ME |
$2,231Highest 27% below ME |
$1,118Lowest 63% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 36.7%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bowerbank and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 32.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 6% below ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
48 minHighest 93% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.8%±13.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
30.5%±29.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowerbank and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.