What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bolton has the most homeowners (88%).

Hamden has the most renters (37.6% 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.

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

Measure	Bolton	Hamden
People
Population	4,853Lowest	61,045Highest
Median age	43.7±3.3Highest 6% above CT	38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT
Kids under 18	20%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2%	17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Bolton and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3.4Highest CT: 18.5%	18.1%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Bolton and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.3%Highest CT: 42.5%	47.8%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.7%±2.6Lowest CT: 7.1%	15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$126,364±$19kHighest 32% above CT	$98,306±$7kLowest about the CT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$367,600±$17kHighest about the CT average	$298,200±$9kLowest 19% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,127±$55Lowest 24% below CT	$1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,091Highest 22% above CT	$7,784Lowest 17% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±30.8Lowest CT: 52.6%	50.9%±5.4Highest CT: 52.6%
	Hamden and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.2%Lowest CT: 10%	9.3%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88%Highest CT: 66.5%	62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 2 yrs newer than CT	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 6% below CT	22 minLowest 18% below CT
Work from home	20.7%±4.6Highest CT: 16%	16.3%±2.1Lowest CT: 16%
	Bolton 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	#79 of 149 in CT	#122 of 149 in CT
School district	Bolton School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services
High school in town	Bolton High School	Hamden High School
Students per teacherat that high school	7.4Lowest	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.