Compare towns
Wallingford vs Chicopee vs Shelton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chicopee has the most renters (44.3% rent).
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 | Wallingford | Chicopee | Shelton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,362 |
55,295Highest |
41,889Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±1.8 10% above U.S. |
41.9±1.4Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.5±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Shelton and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Chicopee and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shelton and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wallingford and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,773±$5k 30% above U.S. |
$62,615±$6kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$108,185±$11kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Shelton and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,100±$8k 6% above U.S. |
$274,500±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$452,600±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,374±$84 about the U.S. average |
$1,157±$50Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,741±$216Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,963Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$5,409 73% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shelton and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shelton and Wallingford 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 | #108 of 149 in CT | #247 of 282 in MA | #71 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Wallingford School District | Chicopee | Shelton School District |
| High school in town | Lyman Hall High School | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Shelton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
11.2 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.