What stands out worked out from the figures below

West Haven has the most renters (49.4% rent).

Monroe has the highest household income ($157k).

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	West Haven	Monroe
People
Population	55,351Highest	18,949Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	35.8±1.5Lowest 13% below CT	43.5±2.2Highest 6% above CT
Kids under 18	20.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 20.2%	25.2%±3Highest CT: 20.2%
	Monroe and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16%±1.3Highest CT: 18.5%	15.6%±2Lowest CT: 18.5%
	West Haven and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.5%Lowest CT: 42.5%	57.3%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1%	5.1%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,382±$5kLowest 22% below CT	$157,250±$12kHighest 64% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$291,700±$9kLowest 20% below CT	$503,200±$31kHighest 37% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,442±$43Highest 3% below CT	$994±$860Lowest 33% below CT
	West Haven and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,941Lowest 4% above CT	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±5.8Highest CT: 52.6%	48.8%±46.4Lowest CT: 52.6%
	West Haven and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.1%Highest CT: 10%	2.6%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%	95.7%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT	1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 14% below CT	34 minHighest 29% above CT
Work from home	9.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 16%	15.4%±3.3Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#120 of 149 in CT	#48 of 149 in CT
School district	New Haven School District · West Haven School District	Monroe School District
High school in town	West Haven High School	Masuk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.6Highest	12.8Lowest
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.