A website has ranked Shelton as the 11th best community to raise a family in Connecticut.
NerdWallet.com, which promotes itself as a “consumer advocacy website,” did a study of the best towns to raise a family in Connecticut. There are 169 municipalities in Connecticut.
The website analyzed national and statewide data to come up with the ratings in five categories:
Public school rating (based on the nonprofit GreatSchools ranking system)
Median home value
Ongoing cost of homeownership (mortgage payments, real estate taxes, insurance costs, utilities, etc.)
Household income
Economic growth
‘Choosing the right place’
Orange got the highest rating in the state, followed by Trumbull and two Hartford suburbs (Newington and West Hartford).
“While many couples are ready to start a family, these future parents must consider several factors when choosing the right place to settle down,” states publicity material.
The rankings
Here are the top 15 towns and cities in the state to raise a family, according to NerdWallet.com:
1. Orange
2. Trumbull
3. Newington
4. West Hartford
5. Wethersfield
6. Darien
7. Milford
8. Wallingford Center (the central part of town has its own census designation)
9. North Haven
10. Westport
11. Shelton
12. Windsor Locks
13. Bristol
14. Middletown
15. East Haven
City’s median home value is $75,900
Here is some of the data for Shelton used in the study:
Great Schools rating: 7 (on scale of 1-10)
Median home value: $375,900
Monthly owner costs: $2,333
Median household income: $83,128
Growth from 1999-2011: 23.5% (change in income, per U.S. Census)
To look at the study, go to http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/2013/best-towns-connecticut-young-families/