What stands out worked out from the figures below

Darien has the most expensive homes ($1822k median).

Redding has the most affordable 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	Darien	Redding
People
Population	21,936Highest	8,780Lowest
Median age	40±1.5Lowest about the CT average	52±2Highest 27% above CT
Kids under 18	30.9%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2%	19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	13.7%±2.1Lowest CT: 18.5%	26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	85.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	72.1%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1%	3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Darien and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$250,001Highest 161% above CT	$186,060±$15kLowest 94% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,822,400±$171kHighest 397% above CT	$706,300±$33kLowest 93% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$3,501Highest 135% above CT	$2,101±$304Lowest 41% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+ at least 51% above CT	$10,000+ at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.8%±11.7Lowest CT: 52.6%	64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6%
	Redding and Darien are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Highest CT: 10%	4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%	91.6%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT	1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minHighest 46% above CT	36 minLowest 36% above CT
Work from home	35.5%±6.6Highest CT: 16%	32.5%±4.9Lowest CT: 16%
	Darien and Redding 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	#2 of 149 in CT	#14 of 149 in CT
School district	Darien School District	Redding School District · Regional School District 09
High school in town	Darien High School	Joel Barlow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	11.1Highest
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.