What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ledyard has the youngest population (median age 31).

Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).

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	Ledyard	Sandgate
People
Population	1,811Highest	435Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	31±6.9Lowest 20% below U.S.	55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%	13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Ledyard and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Sandgate and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	37.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	24.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,731±$12kHighest 7% above U.S.	$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S.
	Ledyard and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$249,200±$22kHighest 25% below U.S.	$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,276±$317 10% below U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,864Highest 24% above U.S.	$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	7.1%±18.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ledyard and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959 21 yrs older than U.S.	1959 21 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 23% below U.S.	27 minHighest 3% above U.S.
Work from home	6.4%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sandgate and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.