Compare towns
Willimantic vs Wesley vs Merrill
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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Wesley has the most affordable homes ($69k median).
Merrill has the most kids (41.7% under 18).
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 | Wesley | Merrill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 200Lowest |
320 |
372Highest |
| Median age | 38.5±11.9Highest 14% below ME |
37.3±3.1 17% below ME |
33.2±9.9Lowest 26% below ME |
| Willimantic and Wesley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 36.5%±11.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
41.7%±11Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Merrill and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±16.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
14%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Willimantic and Wesley 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% |
22.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±6.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Willimantic and Wesley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,472±$52k 15% below ME |
$63,125±$34kLowest 16% below ME |
$65,536±$8kHighest 12% below ME |
| Merrill and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $131,700±$21kHighest 56% below ME |
$68,800±$21kLowest 77% below ME |
$131,600±$21k 56% below ME |
| Willimantic and Merrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,285 58% below ME |
$558Lowest 82% below ME |
$1,449Highest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 27.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Merrill and Wesley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 32.5% ME: 10.7% |
34.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 6% below ME |
48 minHighest 96% above ME |
29 min 19% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.8%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
1.9%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Willimantic and Merrill 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.