Compare towns
Norwich vs Franklin vs West Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwich has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Franklin has the most homeowners (84.1%).
West Haven has the most people working from home (9.2%).
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.
| Measure | Norwich | Franklin | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 39,973 |
2,004Lowest |
55,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
— | 0%Highest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 38.5±1.7 6% below CT |
40.3±4.3Highest about the CT average |
35.8±1.5Lowest 13% below CT |
| Franklin and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±1.8 CT: 20.2% |
27.2%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Franklin and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7 CT: 18.5% |
17.4%±1.9Highest CT: 18.5% |
16%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Franklin and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.1%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
30.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,024±$5kLowest 32% below CT |
$105,000±$10kHighest 10% above CT |
$74,382±$5k 22% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$11kLowest 34% below CT |
$326,200±$20kHighest 11% below CT |
$291,700±$9k 20% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,253±$68 16% below CT |
$767±$529Lowest 48% below CT |
$1,442±$43Highest 3% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,703 29% below CT |
$3,934Lowest 41% below CT |
$6,941Highest 4% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.2%±7.2Highest CT: 52.6% |
19.5%±18.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±5.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Norwich and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.7%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
14.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% CT: 66.5% |
84.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 10 yrs older than CT |
1973Highest 6 yrs newer than CT |
1959 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
23 minLowest 14% below CT |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2 CT: 16% |
6.8%±2.4Lowest CT: 16% |
9.2%±1.4Highest CT: 16% |
| West Haven and Norwich 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 | #133 of 149 in CT | — | #120 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District | Franklin School District | New Haven School District · West Haven School District |
| High school in town | Norwich Free Academy | None in town | West Haven High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Lowest |
— | 15.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.