What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has the most homeowners (93.2%).

New Haven has the most renters (71.6% rent).

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	New Haven
People
Population	7,208Lowest	134,349Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+3.3% CT: +0.9%
Median age	45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT	31.9±0.5Lowest 22% below CT
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	21.3%±1Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	17.4%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5%	11.8%±0.8Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	38.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1%	14.9%±0.8Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$158,857±$7kHighest 66% above CT	$56,851±$4kLowest 41% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT	$287,100±$16kLowest 22% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,154±$448Lowest 22% below CT	$1,488±$33Highest about the CT average
	New Haven 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	$6,430Lowest 3% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.9%±28.4Lowest CT: 52.6%	56.6%±3.2Highest CT: 52.6%
	New Haven 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%	23.9%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.2%Highest CT: 66.5%	28.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT	1954Lowest 13 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 13% below CT	22 minLowest 19% below CT
Work from home	20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16%	13.9%±1.6Lowest CT: 16%
	Durham and New Haven 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	#88 of 149 in CT	#145 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 13	Common Ground High School District · Elm City Montessori School District
High school in town	Coginchaug Regional High School	Wilbur Cross High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	13.7Highest
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.