What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middletown has the most renters (47.1% rent).

Hamden has the highest household income ($98k).

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	Hamden
People
Population	47,958Lowest	61,045Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.1% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	38.1±1.5Lowest 7% below CT	38.7±0.9Highest 6% below CT
	Hamden and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	17%±1.5Highest CT: 20.2%
	Hamden 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%	18.1%±1.3Highest CT: 18.5%
	Hamden and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%	47.8%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15.5%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1%	15%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Middletown and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,438±$6kLowest 17% below CT	$98,306±$7kHighest about the CT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,300±$11kLowest 20% below CT	$298,200±$9kHighest 19% below CT
	Hamden 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	$1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,412Lowest 3% below CT	$7,784Highest 17% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.7%±5.3Lowest CT: 52.6%	50.9%±5.4Highest CT: 52.6%
	Hamden 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%	9.3%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	62.4%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 12% below CT	22 minLowest 18% below CT
Work from home	14.1%±1.8Lowest CT: 16%	16.3%±2.1Highest CT: 16%
	Hamden 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	#122 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services
High school in town	Middletown High School	Hamden High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Lowest	13.5Highest
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.