Compare towns
Cheshire vs Guilford vs Prospect
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cheshire has the highest household income ($147k).
Guilford has the most expensive homes ($516k median).
Prospect has the most affordable homes ($355k median).
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 | Cheshire | Guilford | Prospect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,040Highest |
22,108 |
9,458Lowest |
| Median age | 44.9±1.4Lowest 9% above CT |
51.1±1.9Highest 24% above CT |
46.8±3.9 14% above CT |
| Guilford and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.8%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Cheshire and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±1.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
26.6%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
24.5%±4.3 CT: 18.5% |
| Guilford and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
60.6% CT: 42.5% |
40.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1 CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cheshire and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,528±$12kHighest 53% above CT |
$137,816±$11k 44% above CT |
$126,394±$18kLowest 32% above CT |
| Cheshire and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,000±$17k 20% above CT |
$515,800±$40kHighest 41% above CT |
$355,400±$21kLowest 3% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,398±$116Lowest 6% below CT |
$1,717±$128 15% above CT |
$1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
| Prospect and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,755 17% above CT |
$8,744Highest 32% above CT |
$6,504Lowest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±6.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
47.4%±9Highest CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Guilford and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest CT: 10% |
2.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
3.2% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% CT: 66.5% |
83.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above CT |
26 minLowest about the CT average |
28 min 4% above CT |
| Work from home | 19.1%±2.7 CT: 16% |
21.7%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Guilford and Cheshire 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 | #18 of 149 in CT | #15 of 149 in CT | #50 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Cheshire School District | Guilford School District | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | Cheshire High School | Guilford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
11.8Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.