What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hamden has the shortest commute (24 min average).

New Lisbon has the most people working from home (23.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hamden	New Lisbon
People
Population	1,245Highest	1,203Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-14.1%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-2.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	51±7.5Highest 28% above NY	49.6±9.5Lowest 25% above NY
	Hamden and New Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.7%±3.2Lowest NY: 20.5%	17%±3.1Highest NY: 20.5%
	New Lisbon and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.4%±9.2Highest NY: 17.9%	30.9%±8.6Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Hamden and New Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.3%Lowest NY: 40.2%	36.1%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1%±1.3Lowest NY: 7%	5.7%±4.6Highest NY: 7%
	New Lisbon and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,457±$14kLowest 25% below NY	$84,750±$20kHighest about the NY average
	New Lisbon and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$226,500±$16kHighest 47% below NY	$214,900±$22kLowest 49% below NY
	Hamden and New Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$934±$68 42% below NY	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,416Lowest 48% below NY	$4,005Highest 39% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.8%±37.3Highest NY: 52.1%	29.1%±29.4Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Hamden and New Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.2%Highest NY: 14%	8.5%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%	87.8%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 15 yrs newer than NY	1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 28% below NY	29 minHighest 13% below NY
Work from home	9.4%±3.4Lowest NY: 14.9%	23.5%±10.6Highest NY: 14.9%
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.