What stands out worked out from the figures below

Crystal Lake has the most affordable homes ($362k median).

Redding has the most expensive homes ($706k 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.

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

Measure	Crystal Lake	Redding
People
Population	2,024Lowest	8,780Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.6% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	48.9±7.6Lowest 19% above CT	52±2Highest 27% above CT
	Redding and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.5%±7.5Highest CT: 20.2%	19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Crystal Lake and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.3%±5.1Lowest CT: 18.5%	26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5%
	Redding and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%	72.1%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1%	3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Crystal Lake and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$143,882±$29kLowest 50% above CT	$186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT
	Redding and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,800±$35kLowest about the CT average	$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$2,101±$304 41% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,146Lowest 8% above CT	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±93.3Lowest CT: 52.6%	64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6%
	Redding and Crystal Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.7%Lowest CT: 10%	4%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%	91.6%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT	1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minHighest 47% above CT	36 minLowest 36% above CT
Work from home	17.5%±10Lowest CT: 16%	32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#14 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Redding School District · Regional School District 09
High school in town	—	Joel Barlow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.1
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.