What stands out worked out from the figures below

Shelton has the most renters (23.5% rent).

Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).

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	Shelton	Sutton
People
Population	41,889Highest	9,452Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.5±1.5Highest 14% above U.S.	44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S.
	Shelton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Sutton and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.4%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Shelton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Shelton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,185±$11kLowest 34% above U.S.	$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$452,600±$13kLowest 36% above U.S.	$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,741±$216Highest 23% above U.S.	$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S.
	Shelton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,409Lowest 73% above U.S.	$6,763Highest 117% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.8%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	47.5%±24.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Shelton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.	30 minLowest 12% above U.S.
Work from home	13.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#71 of 149 in CT	#105 of 282 in MA
School district	Shelton School District	Sutton
High school in town	Shelton High School	Sutton High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	12.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.