Compare towns
Wallingford vs Appleton vs Shrewsbury
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Shrewsbury has the most people working from home (15.7%).
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 | Appleton | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,286Highest |
1,360 |
1,237Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±10.8 18% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
42.3±5.6Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±5 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Appleton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,230±$15k about the U.S. average |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$91,250±$23kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Shrewsbury and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $261,900±$44k 21% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$331,900±$52kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Shrewsbury and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $891±$95Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,438±$380Highest about the U.S. average |
| Shrewsbury and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,355 40% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$5,350Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
71.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shrewsbury and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Appleton Public Schools | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.