What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middletown has the most renters (47.1% rent).

Deep River has the most homeowners (69.2%).

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	Deep River
People
Population	47,958Highest	4,458Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.1% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	38.1±1.5Lowest 7% below CT	46.2±5.6Highest 12% above CT
Kids under 18	14.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	16.6%±4.7Highest CT: 20.2%
	Deep River and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%	22.1%±4.1Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%	44.6%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15.5%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1%	3.8%±2.2Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,438±$6kLowest 17% below CT	$90,253±$19kHighest 6% below CT
	Deep River and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,300±$11kLowest 20% below CT	$362,200±$26kHighest about the CT average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,446±$45Highest about the CT average	$1,221±$185Lowest 18% below CT
	Middletown and Deep River 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	$6,092Lowest 8% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.7%±5.3Lowest CT: 52.6%	58.2%±22.9Highest CT: 52.6%
	Deep River 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%	8.2%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	69.2%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT	1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 12% below CT	24 minHighest 9% below CT
Work from home	14.1%±1.8Lowest CT: 16%	15.2%±5.6Highest CT: 16%
	Deep River 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	#70 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services	Deep River School District · Regional School District 04
High school in town	Middletown High School	Valley Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	9.3Lowest
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.