Compare towns
Torrington vs Southwick vs Meriden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Torrington has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Southwick has the most people working from home (16.2%).
Meriden has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
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 | Torrington | Southwick | Meriden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 35,547 |
9,217Lowest |
60,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.8 10% above U.S. |
46.8±1.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
38.9±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Meriden and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Southwick and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Meriden and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,856±$5kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$120,462±$16kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$71,253±$4k 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $215,500±$8kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$397,500±$27kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$241,200±$7k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$43Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,332±$72Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,294±$72 8% below U.S. |
| Southwick and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,042Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$5,331Highest 71% above U.S. |
$5,129 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±4.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meriden and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
60.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #132 of 149 in CT | #211 of 282 in MA | #124 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Torrington School District | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District |
| High school in town | Torrington High School | Southwick Regional School | Francis T. Maloney High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
11.0Lowest |
16.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.