Connecticut Magazine Rates State Cities and Towns (Part 1)

CT Magazine Rates State Cities and Towns

In the November issue of Connecticut Magazine, the Trumbull-based  publication has, for the first time since 2006, provided a look at how various cities and towns rank based on several criteria. They first sorted the localities into four groups based on population:

• 10,000 – 15,000
• 15,000 – 25,000
• 25,000 – 50,000
• 50,000+ (Towns with populations below 10,000 will be featured in their own rankings in the March 2010 issue; see here for the 2007 rankings)

Then, information was collected in the quality-of-life criteria that are most important to residents:

• Schools
• Crime Rate
• Cost of Living
• Local Economy
• Leisure/Cultural Outlets

Then the numbers were crunched and rankings were awarded based on how the towns scored in those criteria, with a “1” being the best score possible. In this four part series of posts, we’re going to highlight how some towns in our market area fared, as well as the rest of the rankings. So, without an further ado, here’s Part One:

50,000+ : Hamden Hangs In There, Meriden Trails

There were 17 cities on the list in this category, represented by Hamden and Meriden. Hamden did well, placing 7th on the list (but down from 5th in the last rankings) and scoring high in the Crime Rate behind only Fairfield and Greenwich. Hamden did poorest in the area of Leisure/Culture, scoring only 14th out of 17.

Meriden, surprisingly, tied for last place among these 17 cities, doing well in Cost of Living (5th), but finishing last in Leisure/Culture. It was in 12th place for each of the other 3 categories. It is interesting to note that, in the Cost of Living area, the top cities on the list had the highest cost of living, while they scored very well in the other areas. Here’s the chart of results:

Town                   Education     Crime        Economy      Cost                  Leisure           Total

According to these rankings, it appears that the state’s big cities continue to struggle with low educational scores, elevated crime rates and unstable economies. Hartford finished dead last in all three of those categories, while New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury all showed poorly as well. However, these localities also provide some of the state’s best leisure and cultural amenities.

Remember, these rankings are not to be considered the last word in what the quality of life is in a particular city/town; however, they are a starting point and can be used as a point of comparison when making a decision about where to live in the state. There are many reasons for liking –or not liking – a specific city or town that transcend any statistical ranking or report, and only you can decide if a place is right for you and your family.

In Part Two of this series, we’ll take a look at the next population size, cities between 25,000 and 50,000 residents. To see these results in their entirety, pick up a copy of Connecticut Magazine’s November issue, on sale now at your favorite store or newsstand.

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Tagged as: cities, Connecticut, Connecticut Magazine, cost of living, crime rate, Economy, rankings, schools, towns