Compare towns

Wolcott vs Willimantic vs Bristol

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wolcott has the highest household income ($111k).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Bristol has the most people working from home (11.4%).

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.

MeasureWolcottWillimanticBristol
People
Population
16,279Lowest
18,096
61,462Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+2.3%Highest
CT: +0.9%
+0.6%Lowest
CT: +0.9%
Median age
44.4±2.5Highest
8% above CT
31.3±2.7Lowest
24% below CT
37.9±1.5
8% below CT
Kids under 18
19.4%±3.1Lowest
CT: 20.2%
20.6%±2.5Highest
CT: 20.2%
20.1%±1.7
CT: 20.2%
Willimantic and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.8%±2.8Highest
CT: 18.5%
11%±1.7Lowest
CT: 18.5%
16.2%±1.2
CT: 18.5%
Wolcott and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
37%Highest
CT: 42.5%
24.2%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
30.3%
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.3%±1.9Lowest
CT: 7.1%
19.1%±2.1Highest
CT: 7.1%
5.9%±0.9
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$110,850±$10kHighest
16% above CT
$45,962±$7kLowest
52% below CT
$79,076±$6k
17% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$326,200±$17kHighest
11% below CT
$190,900±$17kLowest
48% below CT
$277,800±$8k
24% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,464±$913Highest
about the CT average
$1,063±$68Lowest
29% below CT
$1,338±$45
10% below CT
Wolcott and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,799Highest
13% below CT
$4,678Lowest
30% below CT
$5,449
18% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
49.8%±24.2Lowest
CT: 52.6%
55.9%±8.1Highest
CT: 52.6%
55.5%±5.9
CT: 52.6%
Willimantic and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
1.8%Lowest
CT: 10%
23.4%Highest
CT: 10%
10.7%
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
88.4%Highest
CT: 66.5%
34.9%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
64.9%
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Highest
9 yrs newer than CT
1953Lowest
14 yrs older than CT
1967
same as CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
13% above CT
23 minLowest
12% below CT
24 min
11% below CT
Work from home
11.2%±3.1
CT: 16%
6.2%±2Lowest
CT: 16%
11.4%±1.7Highest
CT: 16%
Bristol and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #76 of 149 in CT — #115 of 149 in CT
School district Wolcott School District — Bristol School District
High school in town Wolcott High School — Bristol Central High School
Students per teacherat that high school
10.1Lowest
—
14.0Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.