What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ridgefield has the most expensive homes ($836k median).

Hamden has the most affordable homes ($298k 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	Ridgefield	Hamden
People
Population	25,109Lowest	61,045Highest
Median age	45.1±1.4Highest 10% above CT	38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT
Kids under 18	24.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2%	17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	18.7%±1.9Highest CT: 18.5%	18.1%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Ridgefield and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	72.6%Highest CT: 42.5%	47.8%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%	15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$179,219±$12kHighest 87% above CT	$98,306±$7kLowest about the CT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$836,200±$26kHighest 128% above CT	$298,200±$9kLowest 19% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,026±$200Highest 36% above CT	$1,746±$50Lowest 17% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT	$7,784Lowest 17% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.3%±12Highest CT: 52.6%	50.9%±5.4Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Ridgefield and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.5%Lowest CT: 10%	9.3%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest CT: 66.5%	62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above CT	22 minLowest 18% below CT
Work from home	29.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16%	16.3%±2.1Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#4 of 149 in CT	#122 of 149 in CT
School district	Ridgefield School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services
High school in town	Ridgefield High School	Hamden High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	13.5Highest
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.