Compare towns
Willington vs Lancaster vs Ellington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willington has the most affordable homes ($306k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Ellington has the most kids (24% 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 | Willington | Lancaster | Ellington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,575Lowest |
8,606 |
16,455Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37.5±7.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
40.9±2.4 5% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
24%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellington and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Willington and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Willington and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,114±$12kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$129,913±$17k 61% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,800±$48kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$366,900±$17k 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,357±$116Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,737±$212 23% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,419Lowest 74% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,751 116% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70%±20.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Willington and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Willington School District | Nashoba | Ellington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ellington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.