Compare towns

Durham vs Middlebury vs Redding

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Middlebury has the most kids (22% under 18).
Redding has the most people working from home (32.5%).

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.

MeasureDurhamMiddleburyRedding
People
Population
7,208Lowest
7,807
8,780Highest
Median age
45.5±2.8
11% above CT
44.4±2.3Lowest
8% above CT
52±2Highest
27% above CT
Kids under 18
16.4%±3.6Lowest
CT: 20.2%
22%±3.8Highest
CT: 20.2%
19.1%±2.8
CT: 20.2%
Middlebury and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.4%±3.7Lowest
CT: 18.5%
22.7%±4.2
CT: 18.5%
26.4%±3.3Highest
CT: 18.5%
Redding and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
47.9%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
53.3%
CT: 42.5%
72.1%Highest
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±1.5Lowest
CT: 7.1%
5.8%±2.8Highest
CT: 7.1%
3.8%±1.8
CT: 7.1%
Middlebury and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$158,857±$7k
66% above CT
$133,487±$26kLowest
39% above CT
$186,060±$15kHighest
94% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$424,800±$23kLowest
16% above CT
$476,400±$23k
30% above CT
$706,300±$33kHighest
93% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,154±$448
22% below CT
$398±$387Lowest
73% below CT
$2,101±$304Highest
41% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,998Lowest
20% above CT
$8,434
27% above CT
$10,000+Highest
at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
44.9%±28.4
CT: 52.6%
12.7%±6.9Lowest
CT: 52.6%
64.9%±19.3Highest
CT: 52.6%
Redding 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%
5.8%Highest
CT: 10%
4%
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
93.2%Highest
CT: 66.5%
87.8%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
91.6%
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Highest
9 yrs newer than CT
1976Highest
9 yrs newer than CT
1972Lowest
5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
13% below CT
25 min
5% below CT
36 minHighest
36% above CT
Work from home
20.5%±6.4
CT: 16%
15.3%±3.2Lowest
CT: 16%
32.5%±4.9Highest
CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #88 of 149 in CT #55 of 149 in CT #14 of 149 in CT
School district Regional School District 13 Regional School District 15 Redding School District · Regional School District 09
High school in town Coginchaug Regional High School None in town Joel Barlow High School
Students per teacherat that high school
8.9Lowest
—
11.1Highest
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.