Population 13,472 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Colchester
Household size in Colchester
| Period | Colchester | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.68 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.75 | 2.61 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.41 | 2.55 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.28 | −0.02 | −0.03 |
Households in Colchester run small, averaging 2.41 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has dropped from 2.68 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Colchester
| Period | Colchester | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 40.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.9 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.0 | 42.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.5 | 42.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.4 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.5, Colchester is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 39.1 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Colchester
| Period | Colchester | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 11.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.9% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.2% of households in Colchester, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 5.5 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Colchester
Renters in Colchester
| Period | Colchester | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.4% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.1% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Colchester is largely a place of homeowners: only 24.1% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About three in ten owners (29.9%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 7.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Colchester
| Period | Colchester | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 8.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Colchester than nationally: 7.2%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Connecticut as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Colchester
| Period | Colchester | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1964 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Colchester are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1982, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in Connecticut as a whole, where the median home dates to 1967. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the center has the oldest housing. Of the 145 Connecticut cities with 5,000+ people, only nine have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Colchester
| Period | Colchester | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $911 | $1,127 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,216 | $1,218 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,397 | $1,380 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,591 | $1,702 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$679 | +$575 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Colchester costs $1,591 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in Connecticut overall ($1,702). Rents are up $679 a month from 2006–10, a 75% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 31.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Colchester
Bachelor's degrees in Colchester
| Period | Colchester | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5% | 35.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.7% | 37.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.5% | 39.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.6% | 42.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.0 pts | +6.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Colchester: 50.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 13.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Colchester
| Period | Colchester | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.4% | 88.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.9% | 89.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.8% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.6% | 91.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +3.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Colchester: 96.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Colchester
| Period | Colchester | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.8% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 6.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.5% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Colchester has been low: just 1.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 145 Connecticut cities with 5,000+ people, only two have lower unemployment. Unemployment is down 2.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Colchester compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colchester | 2.41 | 44.5 | 6.2% | 24.1% | 7.2% | 1982 | $1,591 | 50.6% | 96.6% | 1.5% |
| Westchester | 2.59 | 48.7 | 3.7% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 1985 | $1,471 | 55.5% | 94.8% | 2.7% |
| Amston | 2.71 | 45.9 | 4.9% | 17.6% | 10.6% | 1987 | $1,405 | 53.8% | 95.8% | 4.9% |
| Millington | 2.48 | 50.5 | 10.0% | 5.4% | 10.8% | 1986 | $1,628 | 45.9% | 98.0% | 3.4% |
| Salem | 2.48 | 42.1 | 7.5% | 13.0% | 8.1% | 1986 | $1,486 | 51.4% | 98.8% | 4.1% |
| Lebanon | 2.51 | 45.2 | 5.5% | 13.7% | 9.1% | 1977 | $1,550 | 41.4% | 97.6% | 2.3% |
| Moodus | 2.57 | 47.1 | 17.8% | 22.6% | 9.8% | 1975 | $1,205 | 32.1% | 95.0% | 2.5% |
| Gilman | 2.60 | 43.1 | 8.0% | 18.5% | 11.1% | 1971 | $1,560 | 45.4% | 99.3% | 1.2% |
| East Haddam | 2.37 | 52.1 | 7.6% | 5.4% | 11.5% | 1977 | $1,445 | 40.5% | 98.6% | 4.5% |
| Liberty Hill | 2.55 | 46.5 | 5.0% | 5.9% | 7.0% | 1981 | $1,613 | 33.3% | 96.0% | 0.8% |
| Bozrah | 2.44 | 47.8 | 9.2% | 11.4% | 13.4% | 1971 | $1,468 | 32.3% | 94.8% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Shelby, OH · Fort Morgan, CO · Solana Beach, CA · Snyder, TX · Lumberton, NJ · Smithville, MO · Luling, LA · Slippery Rock, PA · Skiatook, OK · Silsbee, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Colchester. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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