What stands out worked out from the figures below

Naugatuck has the most affordable homes ($259k median).

Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

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	Wakefield
People
Population	31,800Highest	27,793Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.8±2.4Lowest about the U.S. average	42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S.
	Wakefield 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 U.S.: 22%	20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Wakefield and Naugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Wakefield 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 U.S.: 35.7%	59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.8%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,324±$9kLowest 19% above U.S.	$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$259,100±$13kLowest 22% below U.S.	$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,369±$58Lowest 3% below U.S.	$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,362Lowest 104% above U.S.	$7,779Highest 149% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.2%±9.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wakefield 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 U.S.: 12.5%	4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	70.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.	33 minLowest 26% above U.S.
Work from home	15%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#116 of 149 in CT	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Naugatuck School District	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Naugatuck High School	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	15.2Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.