Compare towns
Meriden vs Middlefield vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meriden has the most affordable homes ($241k median).
Middlefield has the oldest population (median age 51.6).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Middlefield | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 60,545Highest |
4,243Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.6±1.9Highest 33% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Middlefield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlefield and Upton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
41.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 12% below U.S. |
$99,837±$20k 24% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,200±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$376,000±$27k 13% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,294±$72 8% below U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,129Lowest 64% above U.S. |
$6,853 120% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±4.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±52.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.9%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #124 of 149 in CT | #65 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District | Regional School District 13 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Francis T. Maloney High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.2Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.