What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wallingford has the most homeowners (72.8%).

Middletown has the most renters (47.1% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wallingford	Middletown
People
Population	44,362Lowest	47,958Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+0.1% CT: +0.9%
Median age	42.6±1.8Highest 4% above CT	38.1±1.5Lowest 7% below CT
Kids under 18	18.8%±1.9Highest CT: 20.2%	14.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	21.2%±1.7Highest CT: 18.5%	16.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.4%Highest CT: 42.5%	40.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±1Lowest CT: 7.1%	15.5%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,773±$5kHighest 9% above CT	$79,438±$6kLowest 17% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$353,100±$8kHighest 4% below CT	$295,300±$11kLowest 20% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,374±$84Lowest 8% below CT	$1,446±$45Highest about the CT average
	Middletown and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,963Lowest 10% below CT	$6,412Highest 3% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.9%±8.9Lowest CT: 52.6%	47.7%±5.3Highest CT: 52.6%
	Middletown 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 CT: 10%	12%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.8%Highest CT: 66.5%	52.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972 5 yrs newer than CT	1972 5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 8% below CT	23 minLowest 12% below CT
Work from home	13.3%±2Lowest CT: 16%	14.1%±1.8Highest CT: 16%
	Middletown 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	#121 of 149 in CT
School district	Wallingford School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
High school in town	Lyman Hall High School	Middletown High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.5Lowest	11.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.