What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Sandy Hook has the most affordable homes ($501k 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	Sandy Hook
People
Population	8,780Lowest	9,863Highest
Median age	52±2Highest 27% above CT	43.1±3Lowest 5% above CT
Kids under 18	19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%	22.6%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2%
	Sandy Hook 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%	14.4%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	72.1%Highest CT: 42.5%	60.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%	6.2%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1%
	Sandy Hook 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	$160,814±$25kLowest 68% above CT
	Redding and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT	$501,200±$33kLowest 37% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,101±$304Highest 41% above CT	$1,866±$439Lowest 25% above CT
	Redding and Sandy Hook 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%	52.4%±26.6Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Redding and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest CT: 10%	5.6%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%	92.9%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 36% above CT	35 minLowest 33% above CT
Work from home	32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16%	23.1%±4.4Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#14 of 149 in CT	—
School district	Redding School District · Regional School District 09	—
High school in town	Joel Barlow High School	—
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.