What stands out worked out from the figures below

Guilford has the most expensive homes ($516k median).

Cheshire has the most affordable homes ($440k 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	Guilford	Cheshire
People
Population	22,108Lowest	29,040Highest
Median age	51.1±1.9Highest 24% above CT	44.9±1.4Lowest 9% above CT
Kids under 18	20.8%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2%	21.9%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2%
	Cheshire and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.6%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5%	21.3%±1.8Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%	60.7%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1Lowest CT: 7.1%	4.5%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1%
	Cheshire and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$137,816±$11kLowest 44% above CT	$146,528±$12kHighest 53% above CT
	Cheshire and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$515,800±$40kHighest 41% above CT	$440,000±$17kLowest 20% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,717±$128Highest 15% above CT	$1,398±$116Lowest 6% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,744Highest 32% above CT	$7,755Lowest 17% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±9Highest CT: 52.6%	44.9%±6.3Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Guilford and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.8%Lowest CT: 10%	5%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	86.6%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974 7 yrs newer than CT	1974 7 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the CT average	29 minHighest 9% above CT
Work from home	21.7%±3.3Highest CT: 16%	19.1%±2.7Lowest CT: 16%
	Guilford and Cheshire 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	#15 of 149 in CT	#18 of 149 in CT
School district	Guilford School District	Cheshire School District
High school in town	Guilford High School	Cheshire High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	11.6Lowest
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.