Compare towns
Southington vs Thomaston vs Shelton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Southington has the most people working from home (17.3%).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Shelton has the most expensive homes ($453k 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.
| Measure | Southington | Thomaston | Shelton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,803Highest |
7,492Lowest |
41,889 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +3.3% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 45±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
41.5±7.7Lowest about the CT average |
44.5±1.5 8% above CT |
| Southington and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.9%±1.7 CT: 20.2% |
| Thomaston and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±1.6 CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21.4%±1.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Shelton and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
41.7% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±1 CT: 7.1% |
| Southington and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,309±$9kHighest 30% above CT |
$103,218±$15kLowest 8% above CT |
$108,185±$11k 13% above CT |
| Southington and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,800±$10k about the CT average |
$282,600±$23kLowest 23% below CT |
$452,600±$13kHighest 23% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,472±$77 about the CT average |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,741±$216Highest 17% above CT |
| Shelton and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,206Highest 7% below CT |
$5,915 11% below CT |
$5,409Lowest 19% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±8.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
53.8%±9.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.7% CT: 66.5% |
76.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
30 minHighest 14% above CT |
| Work from home | 17.3%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
13.9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
| Southington and Shelton 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 | #51 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT | #71 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Southington School District | Thomaston School District | Shelton School District |
| High school in town | Southington High School | Thomaston High School | Shelton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
10.7Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.