Compare towns
Middlebury vs Sandy Hook vs Stepney
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Sandy Hook has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Stepney has the oldest population (median age 47.1).
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 | Middlebury | Sandy Hook | Stepney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,807 |
9,863Highest |
3,979Lowest |
| Median age | 44.4±2.3 8% above CT |
43.1±3Lowest 5% above CT |
47.1±5.6Highest 15% above CT |
| Stepney and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.8 CT: 20.2% |
22.6%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
21.1%±5.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Sandy Hook and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.7%±4.1 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlebury and Stepney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
60.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
54.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±5.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Stepney and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,487±$26kLowest 39% above CT |
$160,814±$25kHighest 68% above CT |
$153,966±$16k 61% above CT |
| Sandy Hook and Stepney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,400±$23k 30% above CT |
$501,200±$33kHighest 37% above CT |
$475,800±$53kLowest 30% above CT |
| Sandy Hook and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $398±$387Lowest 73% below CT |
$1,866±$439 25% above CT |
$2,750±$1kHighest 85% above CT |
| Stepney and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,434Lowest 27% above CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$9,309 40% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12.7%±6.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.4%±26.6 CT: 52.6% |
63.2%±48.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Stepney and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest CT: 10% |
5.6% CT: 10% |
0.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
92.9% CT: 66.5% |
96.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below CT |
35 min 33% above CT |
37 minHighest 41% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.3%±3.2 CT: 16% |
23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
9.8%±4.3Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #55 of 149 in CT | — | — |
| School district | Regional School District 15 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.