Compare towns
Windham vs Lancaster vs Willimantic vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Norwich has the most kids (20.9% 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 | Windham | Lancaster | Willimantic | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,961 |
8,606Lowest |
18,096 |
39,973Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9 13% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
31.3±2.7Lowest 20% below U.S. |
38.5±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Lancaster and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $55,736±$5k 31% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$65,024±$5k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,800±$9k 37% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$242,300±$11k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69 22% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,063±$68Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,253±$68 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,678 50% above U.S. |
$4,703 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.2%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | — | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Nashoba | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | — | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | — | 14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.