What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Salem has the most affordable homes ($404k median).

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	Salem
People
Population	8,780Highest	4,282Lowest
Median age	52±2Highest 27% above CT	40.9±5.4Lowest about the CT average
Kids under 18	19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%	23.2%±5.1Highest CT: 20.2%
	Salem and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5%	19.7%±4.7Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Redding and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	72.1%Highest CT: 42.5%	50.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.8%±3.3Highest CT: 7.1%
	Salem 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	$123,245±$8kLowest 29% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT	$403,600±$33kLowest 10% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,101±$304Highest 41% above CT	$1,440±$150Lowest 3% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT	$6,668Lowest about the CT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6%	32.1%±26Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Redding and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest CT: 10%	6.2%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.6%Highest CT: 66.5%	86.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT	1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 36% above CT	32 minLowest 19% above CT
Work from home	32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16%	18%±9.6Lowest CT: 16%
	Redding and Salem 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	#11 of 149 in CT
School district	Redding School District · Regional School District 09	Salem School District
High school in town	Joel Barlow High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1	—
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.