What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has the most people working from home (20.5%).

Meriden has the most affordable homes ($241k 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	Durham	Meriden
People
Population	7,208Lowest	60,545Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	0% CT: +0.9%
Median age	45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT	38.9±1.3Lowest 5% below CT
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	17.4%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5%	16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Durham and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	22.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.6%±0.9Highest CT: 7.1%
	Meriden and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$158,857±$7kHighest 66% above CT	$71,253±$4kLowest 26% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT	$241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,154±$448Lowest 22% below CT	$1,294±$72Highest 13% below CT
	Meriden and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,998Highest 20% above CT	$5,129Lowest 23% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.9%±28.4Lowest CT: 52.6%	53.4%±4.9Highest CT: 52.6%
	Meriden and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Lowest CT: 10%	13.2%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.2%Highest CT: 66.5%	60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT	1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 13% below CT	23 minLowest 13% below CT
Work from home	20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16%	8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#88 of 149 in CT	#124 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 13	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District
High school in town	Coginchaug Regional High School	Francis T. Maloney High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	16.2Highest
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.