What stands out worked out from the figures below

Redding has the most affordable homes ($706k median).

Ridgefield has the most kids (24.8% under 18).

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	Redding	Ridgefield
People
Population	8,780Lowest	25,109Highest
Median age	52±2Highest 27% above CT	45.1±1.4Lowest 10% above CT
Kids under 18	19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%	24.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5%	18.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	72.1%Lowest CT: 42.5%	72.6%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	4.5%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1%
	Ridgefield and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT	$179,219±$12kLowest 87% above CT
	Redding and Ridgefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$706,300±$33kLowest 93% above CT	$836,200±$26kHighest 128% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,101±$304Highest 41% above CT	$2,026±$200Lowest 36% above CT
	Redding and Ridgefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+ at least 51% above CT	$10,000+ at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6%	53.3%±12Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Redding and Ridgefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Highest CT: 10%	3.5%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.6%Highest CT: 66.5%	83.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972 5 yrs newer than CT	1972 5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 36% above CT	33 minLowest 25% above CT
Work from home	32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16%	29.7%±3.7Lowest CT: 16%
	Redding and Ridgefield 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	#14 of 149 in CT	#4 of 149 in CT
School district	Redding School District · Regional School District 09	Ridgefield School District
High school in town	Joel Barlow High School	Ridgefield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	11.4Highest
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.