Shelton vs Waterbury
Shelton, Connecticut versus Waterbury, Connecticut: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Shelton edges out Waterbury on overall objective livability (46 vs 39 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Shelton | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $112k | $51k |
| Cost of Living | $61k | $61k |
| Home Value | $410k | $163k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.26% | 3.18% |
| Income Tax | 6.90% | 6.90% |
| Sales Tax | 6.35% | 6.35% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.59% | 19.07% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 9.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.0 in | 52.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.6 in | 46.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 237 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 96 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 39.5 | 43.9 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 87.6 | 91.4 |
| Violent Crime | 322/100k | 2184/100k |
| Property Crime | 920/100k | 2879/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 41,206 | 114,480 |
| Median Age | 44.6 | 36.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.69 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+16 | D+16 |
| White (%) | 70.9% | 30.4% |
| Black (%) | 4.2% | 25.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.1% | 35.9% |
| Asian (%) | 8.8% | 2.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 7.0/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 49 mi | 31 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.3% | 78.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 30.58 | 6.99 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Shelton or Waterbury more affordable?
- Waterbury has the lower cost of living: its index is $61k, compared with Shelton's $61k and Waterbury's $61k. Median rent is $2k in Shelton versus $1k in Waterbury.
- Is Shelton or Waterbury safer?
- Shelton has the lower violent crime rate. Shelton reports 322/100k and Waterbury reports 2184/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Shelton or Waterbury?
- The median home value is $410k in Shelton and $163k in Waterbury, so homes are more affordable in Waterbury.