Compare towns
Wallingford vs Lowell 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 highest household income ($105k).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
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 | Lowell | Newington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,362 |
118,368Highest |
30,896Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.6±1.8 10% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
45.3±1.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Newington 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% |
21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lowell 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% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,773±$5kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
$102,884±$6k 27% above U.S. |
| Wallingford and Newington 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. |
$429,200±$11kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$310,400±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,374±$84Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,524±$107 8% above U.S. |
| Lowell and Newington 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. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$6,321Highest 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±8.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lowell and Wallingford 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% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newington 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 | #255 of 282 in MA | #87 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Wallingford School District | Lowell | Newington School District |
| High school in town | Lyman Hall High School | Lowell High | Newington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
14.8Highest |
13.9 |
| 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.