Compare towns
Vernon vs Thomaston vs West Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Vernon has the most people working from home (13.4%).
Thomaston has the most homeowners (77.7%).
West Haven has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Vernon | Thomaston | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,577 |
7,492Lowest |
55,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | 0% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.5 4% below CT |
41.5±7.7Highest about the CT average |
35.8±1.5Lowest 13% below CT |
| Thomaston and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±1.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Thomaston and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±1.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
16%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34% CT: 42.5% |
30.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.8%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,356±$6k 11% below CT |
$103,218±$15kHighest 8% above CT |
$74,382±$5kLowest 22% below CT |
| Thomaston and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,500±$11kLowest 25% below CT |
$282,600±$23k 23% below CT |
$291,700±$9kHighest 20% below CT |
| West Haven and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$77 4% below CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,442±$43Highest 3% below CT |
| West Haven and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,804Lowest 13% below CT |
$5,915 11% below CT |
$6,941Highest 4% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.3%±5.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±5.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
14.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.2% CT: 66.5% |
77.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 1 yr newer than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the CT average |
27 min about the CT average |
23 minLowest 14% below CT |
| Work from home | 13.4%±2.5Highest CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
9.2%±1.4 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #107 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT | #120 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Vernon School District | Thomaston School District | New Haven School District · West Haven School District |
| High school in town | Rockville High School | Thomaston High School | West Haven High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
10.7Lowest |
15.6Highest |
| 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.