What stands out worked out from the figures below

Niantic has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Chester has the highest household income ($109k).

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	Niantic	Chester
People
Population	3,123Lowest	3,825Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	58.4±2.7Highest 42% above CT	54±3.4Lowest 31% above CT
	Niantic and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.4%±5.1Lowest CT: 20.2%	17.5%±4.9Highest CT: 20.2%
	Chester and Niantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	35.4%±4.5Highest CT: 18.5%	26.8%±4Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.2%Highest CT: 42.5%	47.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±2.6Lowest CT: 7.1%	4%±2.9Highest CT: 7.1%
	Chester and Niantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,250±$16kLowest 15% below CT	$109,191±$18kHighest 14% above CT
	Chester and Niantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,000±$38kLowest 8% above CT	$442,200±$25kHighest 21% above CT
	Chester and Niantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,478±$259Lowest about the CT average	$1,549±$247Highest 4% above CT
	Chester and Niantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,311Lowest 5% below CT	$6,364Highest 4% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.1%±20.8Highest CT: 52.6%	57.4%±22.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Niantic and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.6%Lowest CT: 10%	11.8%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%	73.2%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT	1969Highest 2 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below CT	28 minHighest 7% above CT
Work from home	20.8%±12.3Highest CT: 16%	18.3%±5.6Lowest CT: 16%
	Niantic and Chester 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	—	#8 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Chester School District
High school in town	—	None in town
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.