Compare towns
Middlebury vs Sandy Hook vs Waterbury
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%).
Waterbury has the most affordable homes ($209k median).
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 | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,807Lowest |
9,863 |
114,869Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +3.7% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 44.4±2.3Highest 8% above CT |
43.1±3 5% above CT |
37.8±1.3Lowest 8% below CT |
| Middlebury and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.6%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
23.2%±1.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Waterbury and Sandy Hook 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% |
15.3%±0.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3% CT: 42.5% |
60.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
17.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Sandy Hook 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 |
$160,814±$25kHighest 68% above CT |
$51,886±$2kLowest 46% below CT |
| Sandy Hook and Middlebury 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 |
$208,500±$6kLowest 43% below 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±$439Highest 25% above CT |
$1,225±$38 18% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,434 27% above CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$5,449Lowest 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12.7%±6.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.4%±26.6 CT: 52.6% |
58.6%±4.2Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Waterbury 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% CT: 10% |
5.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
24.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% CT: 66.5% |
92.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
47.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below CT |
35 minHighest 33% above CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.3%±3.2 CT: 16% |
23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
8.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #55 of 149 in CT | — | #144 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 15 | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Crosby High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 17.0 |
| 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.