Compare towns
Willington vs Sturbridge vs Thomaston
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 renters (36% rent).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
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 | Sturbridge | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,575Lowest |
9,960Highest |
7,492 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37.5±7.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Thomaston 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% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Thomaston 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% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Willington and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,114±$12kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$103,218±$15k 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,800±$48k 8% below U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$282,600±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,357±$116Highest 4% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Willington and Sturbridge 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. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$5,915 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70%±20.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Willington and Thomaston 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 149 in CT | #89 of 282 in MA | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Willington School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.