What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middletown has the most renters (47.1% rent).

Cromwell has the most homeowners (82.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Middletown	Cromwell
People
Population	47,958Highest	14,334Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.1% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	38.1±1.5Lowest 7% below CT	43.5±2.5Highest 6% above CT
Kids under 18	14.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	19.1%±3.1Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	16.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%	22%±3.2Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%	49.2%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15.5%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1%	6.4%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,438±$6kLowest 17% below CT	$110,596±$10kHighest 15% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,300±$11kLowest 20% below CT	$325,200±$22kHighest 11% below CT
	Cromwell and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,446±$45Lowest about the CT average	$1,628±$154Highest 9% above CT
	Cromwell and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,412Highest 3% below CT	$6,137Lowest 8% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.7%±5.3Lowest CT: 52.6%	61%±11.9Highest CT: 52.6%
	Cromwell and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12%Highest CT: 10%	5.9%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	82.4%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 12% below CT	24 minHighest 11% below CT
Work from home	14.1%±1.8Lowest CT: 16%	18.4%±4Highest CT: 16%
	Cromwell and Middletown 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	#121 of 149 in CT	#69 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services	Cromwell School District
High school in town	Middletown High School	Cromwell High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.