What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Ridgefield has the most affordable homes ($836k 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	Ridgefield
People
Population	21,936Lowest	25,109Highest
Median age	40±1.5Lowest about the CT average	45.1±1.4Highest 10% above CT
Kids under 18	30.9%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2%	24.8%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	13.7%±2.1Lowest CT: 18.5%	18.7%±1.9Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	85.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	72.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.4 CT: 7.1%	4.5%±1.4 CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$250,001Highest 161% above CT	$179,219±$12kLowest 87% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,822,400±$171kHighest 397% above CT	$836,200±$26kLowest 128% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$3,501Highest 135% above CT	$2,026±$200Lowest 36% 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%±11.7Highest CT: 52.6%	53.3%±12Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Darien and Ridgefield 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%	3.5%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%	83.5%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	33 minLowest 25% above CT
Work from home	35.5%±6.6Highest CT: 16%	29.7%±3.7Lowest CT: 16%
	Darien and Ridgefield 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	#4 of 149 in CT
School district	Darien School District	Ridgefield School District
High school in town	Darien High School	Ridgefield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	11.4Highest
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.