What stands out worked out from the figures below

Norwalk has the most renters (44.4% rent).

Redding has the most people working from home (32.5%).

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	Norwalk	Redding
People
Population	92,187Highest	8,780Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.5% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	40.6±1Lowest about the CT average	52±2Highest 27% above CT
Kids under 18	18.8%±1.2Lowest CT: 20.2%	19.1%±2.8Highest CT: 20.2%
	Redding and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17%±1Lowest CT: 18.5%	26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Lowest CT: 42.5%	72.1%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±0.8Highest CT: 7.1%	3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,616±$7kLowest 12% above CT	$186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$558,000±$21kLowest 52% above CT	$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,073±$87Lowest 39% above CT	$2,101±$304Highest 41% above CT
	Redding and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,817Lowest 18% above CT	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.1%±5.2Lowest CT: 52.6%	64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6%
	Redding and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.1%Highest CT: 10%	4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%	91.6%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest same as CT	1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the CT average	36 minHighest 36% above CT
Work from home	15.1%±1.4Lowest CT: 16%	32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#112 of 149 in CT	#14 of 149 in CT
School district	Norwalk School District	Redding School District · Regional School District 09
High school in town	Brien McMahon High School	Joel Barlow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	11.1Lowest
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.