Compare towns
Wallingford vs Middletown vs Wallingford Center
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wallingford has the most homeowners (72.8%).
Middletown has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Wallingford Center has the oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
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 | Middletown | Wallingford Center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,362 |
47,958Highest |
18,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.1%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
+0.4%Highest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 42.6±1.8Highest 4% above CT |
38.1±1.5Lowest 7% below CT |
39.6±4.4 4% below CT |
| Wallingford and Wallingford Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±1.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
14.3%±1.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
17.3%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Wallingford and Wallingford Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±1.7 CT: 18.5% |
16.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21.4%±3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Wallingford Center 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%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.2% CT: 42.5% |
35.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1 CT: 7.1% |
15.5%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.7%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,773±$5kHighest 9% above CT |
$79,438±$6kLowest 17% below CT |
$89,959±$8k 6% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,100±$8kHighest 4% below CT |
$295,300±$11kLowest 20% below CT |
$319,200±$11k 13% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,374±$84 8% below CT |
$1,446±$45Highest about the CT average |
$1,336±$102Lowest 10% below CT |
| Middletown and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,963 10% below CT |
$6,412Highest 3% below CT |
$5,264Lowest 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±8.9 CT: 52.6% |
47.7%±5.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.8%±11.4Lowest 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% |
7.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
52.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
60.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT |
1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT |
1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below CT |
23 minLowest 12% below CT |
25 minHighest 7% below CT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±2 CT: 16% |
14.1%±1.8Highest CT: 16% |
12.9%±2.5Lowest 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 | 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.