Compare towns
Chester vs Ansonia vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ansonia has the most affordable homes ($287k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Chester | Ansonia | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,825 |
19,033Highest |
2,303Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.7% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 54±3.4 31% above CT |
40.1±1.6Lowest about the CT average |
55.6±3.3Highest 35% above CT |
| Lyme and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.9 CT: 20.2% |
18.3%±2.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Ansonia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±4 CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
30.7%±4.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Lyme and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.9% CT: 42.5% |
21.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
63.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.9 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Ansonia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,191±$18k 14% above CT |
$85,877±$10kLowest 10% below CT |
$135,000±$22kHighest 41% above CT |
| Lyme and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,200±$25k 21% above CT |
$287,200±$14kLowest 22% below CT |
$629,900±$105kHighest 72% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,549±$247 4% above CT |
$1,476±$121Lowest about the CT average |
$1,719±$1kHighest 16% above CT |
| Lyme and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,364 4% below CT |
$5,446Lowest 18% below CT |
$7,328Highest 10% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.7%±10 CT: 52.6% |
32.9%±44.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Chester and Ansonia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest CT: 10% |
9.4% CT: 10% |
2.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% CT: 66.5% |
58.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
90.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Highest 2 yrs newer than CT |
1954Lowest 13 yrs older than CT |
1967 same as CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 7% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
| Work from home | 18.3%±5.6 CT: 16% |
9.1%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
27.6%±10Highest CT: 16% |
| Lyme and Chester 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 | #8 of 149 in CT | #142 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Chester School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Ansonia School District | Regional School District 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Emmett O'Brien Technical High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.