Compare towns
Wolcott vs Reading vs Bristol
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%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Bristol has the most renters (35.1% 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 | Reading | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,279Lowest |
25,612 |
61,462Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
37.9±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Wolcott and Reading 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Wolcott 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% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bristol and Wolcott 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. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$79,076±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,200±$17k about the U.S. average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$277,800±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,464±$913 4% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,338±$45Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Reading 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. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$5,449Lowest 75% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.8%±24.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bristol and Wolcott 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #76 of 149 in CT | #50 of 282 in MA | #115 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Wolcott School District | Reading | Bristol School District |
| High school in town | Wolcott High School | Reading Memorial High | Bristol Central High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
12.1 |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.