What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).

Norwalk has the most expensive homes ($558k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Windham	Norwalk
People
Population	23,961Lowest	92,187Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.5% CT: +0.9%
Median age	33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT	40.6±1Highest about the CT average
Kids under 18	20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2%	18.8%±1.2Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Windham and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5%	17%±1Highest CT: 18.5%
	Norwalk and Windham 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 CT: 42.5%	44.8%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%	6.7%±0.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT	$107,616±$7kHighest 12% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT	$558,000±$21kHighest 52% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT	$2,073±$87Highest 39% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,633Lowest 30% below CT	$7,817Highest 18% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6%	52.1%±5.2Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Windham and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.7%Highest CT: 10%	9.1%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%	55.6%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT	1967Highest same as CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 8% below CT	27 minHighest about the CT average
Work from home	6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16%	15.1%±1.4Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#143 of 149 in CT	#112 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS	Norwalk School District
High school in town	Windham High School	Brien McMahon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	14.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT 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.