Rating the Towns 2011: 15,000-25,000
The top finishers in this population group enjoy the best educational test results in Connecticut, the most robust local economies, the greatest number of cultural and social amenities per capita, and most likely a wonderful feeling of security. The top 10 finishers, from Ridgefield through East Lyme, have a combined population of just under 200,000 and a minuscule average crime rate of 1.9 crimes a year per 1,000 residents. Of course, if you check out the median house price, you’ll see that they pay dearly for all that.
Several towns shifted position in and out of the Top 10. East Lyme leapfrogged both Guilford and Brookfield to grab No. 10. Farmington disappeared into the next most populous group, making way for Stonington to move all the way from No. 14 last time to No. 9. Stonington’s numbers for its schools and library were below par, but the classic coastal town makes up for that in a lot of other ways.
Click Here to see the stats for the Top 10 Towns.
| Town |
Education
|
Crime
|
Economy
|
Cost
|
Leisure
|
Total
|
| 1. RIDGEFIELD |
4
|
1
|
4
|
29
|
2
|
40
|
| 2. NEW CANAAN |
1
|
4
|
1
|
31
|
4
|
41
|
| 3. AVON |
5
|
2
|
5
|
27
|
3
|
42
|
| 4. WILTON |
2
|
3
|
3
|
30
|
5
|
43
|
| 5. DARIEN |
3
|
6
|
2
|
32
|
1
|
44
|
| 6. SIMSBURY |
6
|
7
|
10
|
23
|
6
|
52
|
| 7. MADISON |
7
|
13
|
6
|
28
|
7
|
61
|
| 8. SOUTHBURY |
9.5
|
5
|
11
|
24
|
17
|
66.5
|
| 9. STONINGTON |
21
|
9
|
9
|
20
|
8
|
67
|
| 10. EAST LYME |
9.5
|
17
|
13
|
18
|
10
|
67.5
|
| 11. GUILFORD |
8
|
19
|
7
|
25
|
9
|
68
|
| 12. TOLLAND |
14
|
11
|
18
|
12
|
13
|
68
|
| 13. BROOKFIELD |
12
|
10
|
8
|
26
|
18
|
74
|
| 14. ROCKY HILL |
18
|
12
|
16
|
17
|
14
|
77
|
| 15. ELLINGTON |
15
|
14
|
21
|
14
|
15
|
79
|
| 16. BETHEL |
16
|
8
|
15
|
21
|
21
|
81
|
| 17. WATERFORD |
19
|
29
|
14
|
8
|
12
|
82
|
| 18. MONROE |
11
|
15
|
12
|
22
|
24
|
84
|
| 19. COLCHESTER |
24
|
16
|
23
|
13
|
16
|
92
|
| 20. LEDYARD |
20
|
18
|
24
|
9
|
22
|
93
|
| 21. SUFFIELD |
13
|
24
|
19
|
19
|
20
|
95
|
| 22. BERLIN |
17
|
26
|
20
|
16
|
19
|
98
|
| 23. NORTH HAVEN |
22
|
25
|
17
|
15
|
23
|
102
|
| 24. WATERTOWN |
28
|
23
|
22
|
7
|
25
|
105
|
| 25. BLOOMFIELD |
32
|
32
|
29
|
4
|
11
|
108
|
| 26. MONTVILLE |
27
|
22
|
25
|
3
|
31
|
108
|
| 27. PLAINFIELD |
29
|
20
|
31
|
2
|
28
|
110
|
| 28. WOLCOTT |
23
|
21
|
26
|
11
|
32
|
113
|
| 29. PLAINVILLE |
25
|
31
|
28
|
6
|
27
|
117
|
| 30. KILLINGLY |
30
|
30
|
30
|
1
|
26
|
117
|
| 31. SEYMOUR |
26
|
27
|
27
|
10
|
29
|
119
|
| 32. ANSONIA |
31
|
28
|
32
|
5
|
30
|
126
|
 |
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HOW TO READ THE CHART
The chart at right shows the 26 Connecticut towns with populations between 25,000 and 50,000. The best possible rating in any category is 1 and the worst is 26. Remember: Low scores are good. Ties were broken in favor of the town with the higher voter turnout.
This article appeared in the November 2011 issue of Connecticut Magazine
