Compare towns
Middlebury vs Redding vs Plainfield vs Naugatuck
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the most kids (22% under 18).
Redding has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Naugatuck has the most renters (32.2% rent).
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 | Middlebury | Redding | Plainfield | Naugatuck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,807Lowest |
8,780 |
15,141 |
31,800Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | -1.1% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 44.4±2.3 8% above CT |
52±2Highest 27% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
39.8±2.4 3% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
19.9%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Middlebury and Naugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
15.6%±2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Redding and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3% CT: 42.5% |
72.1%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
32.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±2.8 CT: 7.1% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
7.8%±1.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Naugatuck and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,487±$26k 39% above CT |
$186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$96,324±$9k about the CT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,400±$23k 30% above CT |
$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$259,100±$13kLowest 29% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $398±$387Lowest 73% below CT |
$2,101±$304Highest 41% above CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,369±$58 8% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,434 27% above CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$6,362 4% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12.7%±6.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
42.2%±9.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Redding and Naugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% CT: 10% |
4%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
6.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% CT: 66.5% |
91.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
67.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below CT |
36 minHighest 36% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
33 min 26% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.3%±3.2 CT: 16% |
32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
15%±2.8 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #55 of 149 in CT | #14 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #116 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 15 | Redding School District · Regional School District 09 | Plainfield School District | Naugatuck School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Joel Barlow High School | Plainfield High School | Naugatuck High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
10.3Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.