What stands out worked out from the figures below

Beacon Falls has the most homeowners (85.5%).

Hamden has the shortest commute (22 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Beacon Falls	Hamden
People
Population	6,147Lowest	61,045Highest
Median age	48.4±3.8Highest 18% above CT	38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT
Kids under 18	18%±4.8Highest CT: 20.2%	17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Beacon Falls and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.5%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5%	18.1%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Beacon Falls and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%	47.8%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±3.2Lowest CT: 7.1%	15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,516±$42kHighest 6% above CT	$98,306±$7kLowest about the CT average
	Beacon Falls and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$350,300±$34kHighest 5% below CT	$298,200±$9kLowest 19% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,921±$286Highest 29% above CT	$1,746±$50Lowest 17% above CT
	Beacon Falls and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,534Lowest about the CT average	$7,784Highest 17% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.7%±30.4Lowest CT: 52.6%	50.9%±5.4Highest CT: 52.6%
	Hamden and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.1%Lowest CT: 10%	9.3%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.5%Highest CT: 66.5%	62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above CT	22 minLowest 18% below CT
Work from home	20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16%	16.3%±2.1Lowest CT: 16%
	Beacon Falls and Hamden 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	#77 of 149 in CT	#122 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 16	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services
High school in town	Woodland Regional High School	Hamden High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.