Compare towns

Wallingford vs Chicopee vs Southington

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).
Southington has the most people working from home (17.3%).

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.

MeasureWallingfordChicopeeSouthington
People
Population
44,362
55,295Highest
43,803Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+0.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
42.6±1.8
10% above U.S.
41.9±1.4Lowest
8% above U.S.
45±1.4Highest
16% above U.S.
Southington and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.8%±1.9
U.S.: 22%
19.2%±1.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Chicopee and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.2%±1.7Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.5%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±1.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Wallingford and Southington 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%
43.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6%±1
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±0.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Southington and Wallingford 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.
$124,309±$9kHighest
54% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$353,100±$8k
6% above U.S.
$274,500±$8kLowest
17% below U.S.
$373,800±$10kHighest
12% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,374±$84
about the U.S. average
$1,157±$50Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,472±$77Highest
4% above U.S.
Southington and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,963
91% above U.S.
$3,847Lowest
23% above U.S.
$6,206Highest
99% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
42.9%±8.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52%±5.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
43.9%±8.6
U.S.: 51.1%
Chicopee and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
17.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
72.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
55.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1972
8 yrs older than U.S.
1958Lowest
22 yrs older than U.S.
1974Highest
6 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
8% below U.S.
21 minLowest
19% below U.S.
24 min
9% below U.S.
Work from home
13.3%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.3%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Southington 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 #51 of 149 in CT
School district Wallingford School District Chicopee Southington School District
High school in town Lyman Hall High School Chicopee Comprehensive High School Southington High School
Students per teacherat that high school
10.5Lowest
11.2
12.8Highest
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.