Compare towns
Meriden vs Norwich 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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Norwich has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Norwich | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 60,545Highest |
39,973 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±1.3 about the U.S. average |
38.5±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±1.8Lowest 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% |
16.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Norwich 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% |
23.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,253±$4k 12% below U.S. |
$65,024±$5kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,200±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$242,300±$11k 27% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,294±$72Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,253±$68 11% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Meriden and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,129 64% above U.S. |
$4,703Lowest 51% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±4.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.2%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Norwich and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.6%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2Lowest 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 | #133 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Francis T. Maloney High School | Norwich Free Academy | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.2Highest |
14.8 |
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.