What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sandy Hook has the most people working from home (23.1%).

Shelton has the most renters (23.5% rent).

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	Sandy Hook	Shelton
People
Population	9,863Lowest	41,889Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+3.3% CT: +0.9%
Median age	43.1±3Lowest 5% above CT	44.5±1.5Highest 8% above CT
	Shelton and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2%	18.9%±1.7Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Sandy Hook and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.4%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5%	21.4%±1.5Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	41.7%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1%	5.8%±1Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Sandy Hook and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$160,814±$25kHighest 68% above CT	$108,185±$11kLowest 13% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$501,200±$33kHighest 37% above CT	$452,600±$13kLowest 23% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,866±$439Highest 25% above CT	$1,741±$216Lowest 17% above CT
	Sandy Hook and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT	$5,409Lowest 19% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.4%±26.6Lowest CT: 52.6%	53.8%±9.8Highest CT: 52.6%
	Shelton and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Lowest CT: 10%	6.6%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.9%Highest CT: 66.5%	76.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT	1977Lowest 10 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 33% above CT	30 minLowest 14% above CT
Work from home	23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16%	13.9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#71 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Shelton School District
High school in town	—	Shelton High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	14.3
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.