Signals
Shelton
Middletown
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 16%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
55 · Top 41%
vs58 · Top 36%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs71 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 45%
vs93 · Top 25%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs80 · Bottom 23%
Economic stability
69 · Top 31%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Shelton | Middletown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,889 | 24,661 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $108,185 | $112,831 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,448 | $52,839 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,368/sq mi | 1,827/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $452,600 | $409,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,741 | $1,583 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.5% | 76.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -5.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 44.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.6% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 145 | 56 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.2% | 100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.1" | 45.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 50 mi | 39 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.1 min | 32.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.5 | 38.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.66 | 14.96 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Your best match
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Shelton
65
Your Score
—
Area Score
Middletown
70
Your Score
66
Area Score
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Full profiles: Shelton, CT · Middletown, DE · How this is calculated: methodology