What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middletown has the most renters (47.1% rent).

Monroe has the highest household income ($157k).

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	Monroe
People
Population	47,958Highest	18,949Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.1% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	38.1±1.5Lowest 7% below CT	43.5±2.2Highest 6% above CT
Kids under 18	14.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	25.2%±3Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	16.5%±1.3Highest CT: 18.5%	15.6%±2Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Middletown and Monroe 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%	57.3%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15.5%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1%	5.1%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,438±$6kLowest 17% below CT	$157,250±$12kHighest 64% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,300±$11kLowest 20% below CT	$503,200±$31kHighest 37% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,446±$45Highest about the CT average	$994±$860Lowest 33% below CT
	Middletown and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,412Lowest 3% below CT	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.7%±5.3Lowest CT: 52.6%	48.8%±46.4Highest CT: 52.6%
	Monroe 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%	2.6%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	95.7%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT	1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 12% below CT	34 minHighest 29% above CT
Work from home	14.1%±1.8Lowest CT: 16%	15.4%±3.3Highest CT: 16%
	Monroe 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	#48 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services	Monroe School District
High school in town	Middletown High School	Masuk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Lowest	12.8Highest
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.