Compare towns
Danbury vs Norwalk vs Ridgefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danbury has the most affordable homes ($411k median).
Norwalk has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Ridgefield has the most people working from home (29.7%).
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 | Danbury | Norwalk | Ridgefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 87,263 |
92,187Highest |
25,109Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Highest CT: +0.9% |
+6.5%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 40.6±1.3Lowest about the CT average |
40.6±1Lowest about the CT average |
45.1±1.4Highest 10% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±1.4 CT: 20.2% |
18.8%±1.2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
24.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.2 CT: 18.5% |
17%±1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.7%±1.9Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Ridgefield and Danbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
44.8% CT: 42.5% |
72.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±1Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.7%±0.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Danbury and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,393±$6kLowest 13% below CT |
$107,616±$7k 12% above CT |
$179,219±$12kHighest 87% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $411,200±$12kLowest 12% above CT |
$558,000±$21k 52% above CT |
$836,200±$26kHighest 128% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,846±$63Lowest 24% above CT |
$2,073±$87Highest 39% above CT |
$2,026±$200 36% above CT |
| Norwalk and Ridgefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,877Lowest 12% below CT |
$7,817 18% above CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±4.8Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.1%±5.2 CT: 52.6% |
53.3%±12Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Ridgefield and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.7%Highest CT: 10% |
9.1% CT: 10% |
3.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
55.6% CT: 66.5% |
83.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 8 yrs newer than CT |
1967Lowest same as CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
33 minHighest 25% above CT |
| Work from home | 12.7%±1.8Lowest CT: 16% |
15.1%±1.4 CT: 16% |
29.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #137 of 149 in CT | #112 of 149 in CT | #4 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Danbury School District | Norwalk School District | Ridgefield School District |
| High school in town | Danbury High School | Brien McMahon High School | Ridgefield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.7Highest |
14.7 |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.