What stands out worked out from the figures below

Naugatuck has the most people working from home (15%).

Thomaston has the shortest commute (27 min average).

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	Naugatuck	Thomaston
People
Population	31,800Highest	7,492Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.1% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	39.8±2.4Lowest 3% below CT	41.5±7.7Highest about the CT average
	Thomaston and Naugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.9%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2%
	Thomaston and Naugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.6%±2Lowest CT: 18.5%	18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 18.5%
	Thomaston and Naugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%	34%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.8%±1.7Highest CT: 7.1%	5.5%±2.1Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Naugatuck and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,324±$9kLowest about the CT average	$103,218±$15kHighest 8% above CT
	Thomaston and Naugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$259,100±$13kLowest 29% below CT	$282,600±$23kHighest 23% below CT
	Thomaston and Naugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,369±$58Highest 8% below CT	$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,362Highest 4% below CT	$5,915Lowest 11% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.2%±9.4Lowest CT: 52.6%	57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6%
	Thomaston and Naugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.3%Highest CT: 10%	2.3%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%	77.7%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT	1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 26% above CT	27 minLowest about the CT average
Work from home	15%±2.8Highest CT: 16%	7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#116 of 149 in CT	#106 of 149 in CT
School district	Naugatuck School District	Thomaston School District
High school in town	Naugatuck High School	Thomaston High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	10.7Lowest
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.