Compare towns
Meriden vs Southington vs Middlefield
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).
Southington has the most people working from home (17.3%).
Middlefield has the oldest population (median age 51.6).
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 | Southington | Middlefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 60,545Highest |
43,803 |
4,243Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.9±1.3Lowest 5% below CT |
45±1.4 9% above CT |
51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±1.4 CT: 20.2% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21%±1.6 CT: 18.5% |
25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Southington 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% |
43.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
41.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.7%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
| Southington and Middlefield 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 |
$124,309±$9kHighest 30% above CT |
$99,837±$20k 4% above CT |
| Southington and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT |
$373,800±$10k about the CT average |
$376,000±$27kHighest about the CT average |
| Middlefield and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,294±$72Lowest 13% below CT |
$1,472±$77 about the CT average |
$3,501Highest 135% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,129Lowest 23% below CT |
$6,206 7% below CT |
$6,853Highest 3% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±4.9 CT: 52.6% |
43.9%±8.6Lowest 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% |
4.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT |
1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below CT |
24 min 9% below CT |
25 minHighest 6% below CT |
| Work from home | 8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16% |
17.3%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
| Southington and Middlefield 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 | #51 of 149 in CT | #65 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District | Southington School District | Regional School District 13 |
| High school in town | Francis T. Maloney High School | Southington High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.2Highest |
12.8Lowest |
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| 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.