What stands out worked out from the figures below

Madison has the most expensive homes ($584k median).

Hamden has the most affordable homes ($298k 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	Madison	Hamden
People
Population	17,616Lowest	61,045Highest
Median age	51.9±1.9Highest 26% above CT	38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT
Kids under 18	18.1%±2.2Highest CT: 20.2%	17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Madison and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5%	18.1%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	72.4%Highest CT: 42.5%	47.8%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1%	15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$167,442±$16kHighest 75% above CT	$98,306±$7kLowest about the CT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$583,900±$30kHighest 59% above CT	$298,200±$9kLowest 19% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,025±$741Highest 36% above CT	$1,746±$50Lowest 17% above CT
	Madison and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,843Highest 33% above CT	$7,784Lowest 17% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44%±12.3Lowest CT: 52.6%	50.9%±5.4Highest CT: 52.6%
	Hamden and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.6%Lowest CT: 10%	9.3%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.4%Highest CT: 66.5%	62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 12% above CT	22 minLowest 18% below CT
Work from home	30.2%±5.3Highest CT: 16%	16.3%±2.1Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#7 of 149 in CT	#122 of 149 in CT
School district	Madison School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services
High school in town	Daniel Hand High School	Hamden High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	13.5Highest
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.