What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Middlefield has the most expensive homes ($376k 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	Meriden	Middlefield
People
Population	60,545Highest	4,243Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	38.9±1.3Lowest 5% below CT	51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT
Kids under 18	21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%	13.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%	25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%	41.5%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±0.9Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.7%±2.4Highest CT: 7.1%
	Middlefield 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	$99,837±$20kHighest 4% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT	$376,000±$27kHighest about the CT average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,294±$72Lowest 13% below CT	$3,501Highest 135% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,129Lowest 23% below CT	$6,853Highest 3% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±4.9Lowest CT: 52.6%	85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6%
	Middlefield and Meriden 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%	8.1%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%	86.5%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT	1961Highest 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 13% below CT	25 minHighest 6% below CT
Work from home	8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16%	10.9%±4.1Highest CT: 16%
	Middlefield 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	#65 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District	Regional School District 13
High school in town	Francis T. Maloney High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	16.2	—
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.