Compare towns
Windham vs Sandy Hook vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Sandy Hook has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Norwich has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Sandy Hook | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,961 |
9,863Lowest |
39,973Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -0.9% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT |
43.1±3Highest 5% above CT |
38.5±1.7 6% below CT |
| Sandy Hook and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.6%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.9%±1.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Sandy Hook and Norwich 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% |
14.4%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
16.9%±1.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Norwich and Sandy Hook 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% |
60.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
23.1% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$160,814±$25kHighest 68% above CT |
$65,024±$5k 32% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$501,200±$33kHighest 37% above CT |
$242,300±$11k 34% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT |
$1,866±$439Highest 25% above CT |
$1,253±$68 16% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633Lowest 30% below CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$4,703 29% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
52.4%±26.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
56.2%±7.2 CT: 52.6% |
| Windham and Norwich 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% |
5.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
16.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
92.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
53.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1957 10 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below CT |
35 minHighest 33% above CT |
24 minLowest 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
7.2%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 of 149 in CT | — | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | — | 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 |
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.