What stands out worked out from the figures below

Guilford has the most kids (20.8% under 18).

Madison has the most people working from home (30.2%).

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	Madison
People
Population	22,108Highest	17,616Lowest
Median age	51.1±1.9Lowest 24% above CT	51.9±1.9Highest 26% above CT
	Madison and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.8%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2%	18.1%±2.2Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Guilford and Madison 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%	25.2%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Guilford and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%	72.4%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.9%±1.5Highest CT: 7.1%
	Madison 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	$167,442±$16kHighest 75% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$515,800±$40kLowest 41% above CT	$583,900±$30kHighest 59% above CT
	Madison and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,717±$128Lowest 15% above CT	$2,025±$741Highest 36% above CT
	Madison and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,744Lowest 32% above CT	$8,843Highest 33% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±9Highest CT: 52.6%	44%±12.3Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Guilford and Madison 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%	3.6%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.7%Lowest CT: 66.5%	90.4%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the CT average	30 minHighest 12% above CT
Work from home	21.7%±3.3Lowest CT: 16%	30.2%±5.3Highest CT: 16%
	Madison and Guilford 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	#7 of 149 in CT
School district	Guilford School District	Madison School District
High school in town	Guilford High School	Daniel Hand High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	9.8Lowest
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.