What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).

Shelton has the most people working from home (13.9%).

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	Windham	Shelton
People
Population	23,961Lowest	41,889Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+3.3% CT: +0.9%
Median age	33.7±1.9Lowest 18% below CT	44.5±1.5Highest 8% above CT
Kids under 18	20.1%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2%	18.9%±1.7Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Windham and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5%	21.4%±1.5Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.7%Lowest CT: 42.5%	41.7%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15.2%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%	5.8%±1Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT	$108,185±$11kHighest 13% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT	$452,600±$13kHighest 23% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,107±$69Lowest 26% below CT	$1,741±$216Highest 17% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,633Lowest 30% below CT	$5,409Highest 19% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.1%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6%	53.8%±9.8Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Windham and Shelton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.7%Highest CT: 10%	6.6%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5%	76.5%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT	1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 8% below CT	30 minHighest 14% above CT
Work from home	6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16%	13.9%±2.8Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#143 of 149 in CT	#71 of 149 in CT
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS	Shelton School District
High school in town	Windham High School	Shelton High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	14.3Highest
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.