Compare towns
Meriden vs Durham vs Southington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meriden has the most affordable homes ($241k median).
Durham has the highest household income ($159k).
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.
| Measure | Meriden | Durham | Southington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 60,545Highest |
7,208Lowest |
43,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.9±1.3Lowest 5% below CT |
45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT |
45±1.4 9% above CT |
| Durham and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.4%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±1.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.4%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
21%±1.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Southington and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
47.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
43.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.9 CT: 7.1% |
3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Southington and Meriden 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 |
$158,857±$7kHighest 66% above CT |
$124,309±$9k 30% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT |
$424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT |
$373,800±$10k about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,294±$72 13% below CT |
$1,154±$448Lowest 22% below CT |
$1,472±$77Highest about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,129Lowest 23% below CT |
$7,998Highest 20% above CT |
$6,206 7% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±4.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±28.4 CT: 52.6% |
43.9%±8.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Meriden and Durham 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% |
3.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below CT |
23 min 13% below CT |
24 minHighest 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16% |
20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
17.3%±2.9 CT: 16% |
| Durham and Southington 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 | #88 of 149 in CT | #51 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District | Regional School District 13 | Southington School District |
| High school in town | Francis T. Maloney High School | Coginchaug Regional High School | Southington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.2Highest |
8.9Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.