Compare towns
Wolcott vs Needham vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wolcott has the most homeowners (88.4%).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Waterbury has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Wolcott | Needham | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,279Lowest |
32,459 |
114,869Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
37.8±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Wolcott and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolcott and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Waterbury and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,850±$10k 37% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$51,886±$2kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,200±$17k about the U.S. average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$208,500±$6kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,464±$913 4% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,225±$38Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Needham and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,799 86% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,449Lowest 75% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.8%±24.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterbury and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #76 of 149 in CT | #19 of 282 in MA | #144 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Wolcott School District | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | Wolcott High School | — | Crosby High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
— | 17.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.