Compare towns
Windham vs Smithfield vs West Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
West Haven has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Windham | Smithfield | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,961 |
22,233Lowest |
55,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±1.9Lowest 13% below U.S. |
41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S. |
35.8±1.5 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| West Haven and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Smithfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$102,077±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$74,382±$5k 8% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$291,700±$9k 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$69 22% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,442±$43Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,633Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$6,941Highest 123% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 of 149 in CT | #8 of 38 in RI | #120 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Smithfield | New Haven School District · West Haven School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Smithfield High School | West Haven High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.8 |
15.6Highest |
| 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.