Compare towns
Wallingford vs Dover vs Newington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wallingford has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Newington has the most affordable homes ($310k 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 | Dover | Newington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,362Highest |
5,930Lowest |
30,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.6±1.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
44.9±2.3 15% above U.S. |
45.3±1.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Newington and Dover 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% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Newington 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. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$102,884±$6kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,100±$8k 6% above U.S. |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$310,400±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,374±$84Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$1,524±$107 8% above U.S. |
| Dover and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,963Lowest 91% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,321 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±8.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.9%±2.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wallingford and Newington 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #108 of 149 in CT | #1 of 282 in MA | #87 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Wallingford School District | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Newington School District |
| High school in town | Lyman Hall High School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Newington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5 |
9.8Lowest |
13.9Highest |
| 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.