What stands out worked out from the figures below

Meriden has the most kids (21.9% under 18).

Clinton has the highest household income ($125k).

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	Meriden	Clinton
People
Population	60,545Highest	13,377Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	38.9±1.3Lowest 5% below CT	50.5±3Highest 23% above CT
Kids under 18	21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%	15.7%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%	24.1%±2.6Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%	43.6%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.9Highest CT: 7.1%	5.2%±2Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Meriden and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,253±$4kLowest 26% below CT	$124,824±$14kHighest 30% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT	$380,000±$14kHighest 4% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,294±$72Lowest 13% below CT	$1,395±$105Highest 6% below CT
	Clinton and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,129Lowest 23% below CT	$6,151Highest 7% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±4.9Highest CT: 52.6%	43.5%±14.6Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Meriden and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.2%Highest CT: 10%	5.7%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%	84.7%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT	1968Highest 1 yr newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 13% below CT	29 minHighest 10% above CT
Work from home	8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16%	11.3%±2.1Highest CT: 16%
	Clinton and Meriden 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	#124 of 149 in CT	#81 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District	Clinton School District
High school in town	Francis T. Maloney High School	The Morgan School
Students per teacherat that high school	16.2Highest	9.7Lowest
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.