The 10 Worst Small Towns In Connecticut For 2022


Using science and data, we can tell you which teeny specks in Connecticut are the pits.

Editor’s Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don’t freak out we updated this article for 2022. This is our ninth time ranking the worst small places to live in Connecticut.

Most Americans have never been to Connecticut. However, as the people who live there know, Connecticut is an awesome state.

But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, Connecticut has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Constitution State. Don't shoot the messenger, this is all using data.

After analyzing more than 67 of Connecticut's smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in Connecticut where you'd never want to live:

So what is the worst small town to call home in Connecticut for 2022? According to the most recent census data, Poquonock Bridge is the worst small town to live in Connecticut.

Of course, many of these cities would rank highly if they were in other states, since Connecticut has its stuff figured out.

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.

And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in Connecticut or the worst places to live in Connecticut.

If you're looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.

The 10 Worst Small Towns In Connecticut For 2022

1. Poquonock Bridge

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,640
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $160,200 (5th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 20.4% (worst)
More on Poquonock Bridge:  Data

2. North Grosvenor Dale

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,180
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $166,500 (8th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 9.9% (9th worst)
More on North Grosvenor Dale:  Data

3. Canaan

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,230
Rank Last Year: 4 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $183,800 (14th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 8.5% (15th worst)
More on Canaan:  Data

4. Oxoboxo River

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,772
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $163,600 (6th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 13.7% (6th worst)
More on Oxoboxo River:  Data

5. Danielson

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 3,996
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 2)
Median Home Value: $166,200 (7th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 14.7% (3rd worst)
More on Danielson:  Data

6. South Windham

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,475
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 6)
Median Home Value: $145,500 (worst)
Unemployment Rate: 1.5% (56th worst)
More on South Windham:  Data

7. Baltic

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,290
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 3)
Median Home Value: $175,800 (11th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.7% (23rd worst)
More on Baltic:  Data

8. Moosup

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 3,922
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 3)
Median Home Value: $169,700 (9th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 8.5% (14th worst)
More on Moosup:  Data

9. East Brooklyn

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,103
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 3)
Median Home Value: $204,800 (17th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 14.4% (4th worst)
More on East Brooklyn:  Data

10. Stafford Springs

Stafford Springs, CT

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 4,784
Rank Last Year: -
Median Home Value: $171,200 (10th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 9.0% (10th worst)
More on Stafford Springs:  Data | Photos

How do you decide if a place is lousy or not?

In order to rank the worst small towns to live in Connecticut, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. It isn't a stretch to assume that people like low crime, solid education, things to do and a stable economy.

So we scraped the internet for those criteria, and it spit out the answer. Like magic.

How we determined the worst small towns to live in Connecticut for 2022

We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using FBI crime data and the Census's 2016-2020 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (The lower the worse)
  • Highest Unemployment Rates
  • Low housing costs (meaning there's no demand)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
  • Education (Number of high school dropouts)
  • High Crime

We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which, there were a lot - 67 to be exact.

Additional note: We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets its crime numbers from the cities themselves. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.

This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased.

There You Have It - The Worst Small Towns In Connecticut

If you're analyzing teeny places in the Constitution State with the worst economic situations, where there's high crime and there's not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

If you're curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in Connecticut, according to science:

  1. Noank (Pop. 1,454)
  2. Wilton Center (Pop. 1,808)
  3. Glenville (Pop. 2,976)

For more Connecticut reading, check out:

Detailed List Of The Worst Small Towns In Connecticut

Rank Town Population Unemployment Rate Home Value
1 Poquonock Bridge 1,640 20.4% $160,200
2 North Grosvenor Dale 1,180 9.9% $166,500
3 Canaan 1,230 8.5% $183,800
4 Oxoboxo River 2,772 13.7% $163,600
5 Danielson 3,996 14.7% $166,200
6 South Windham 1,475 1.5% $145,500
7 Baltic 1,290 6.7% $175,800
8 Moosup 3,922 8.5% $169,700
9 East Brooklyn 2,103 14.4% $204,800
10 Stafford Springs 4,784 9.0% $171,200
11 Broad Brook 4,118 6.9% $244,400
12 Watertown 3,620 8.7% $215,500
13 Thomaston 1,730 7.6% $209,300
14 Jewett City 3,387 6.1% $158,300
15 Plainfield Village 2,136 6.5% $179,500
16 Tariffville 1,810 13.9% $212,300
17 Waterford 2,922 9.0% $201,700
18 Blue Hills 2,600 6.4% $157,900
19 Wauregan 1,486 7.4% $182,000
20 Canton Valley 1,294 1.1% $207,500
21 Byram 4,855 10.8% $782,900
22 Heritage Village 4,465 12.6% $155,500
23 Westbrook Center 2,257 4.7% $349,300
24 Quinebaug 1,266 7.0% $193,000
25 Clinton 3,309 4.2% $273,200
26 Mansfield Center 1,367 6.4% $235,900
27 Moodus 1,802 5.9% $263,800
28 New Hartford Center 1,210 6.7% $212,100
29 Deep River Center 2,638 3.1% $278,000
30 Brooklyn 1,128 0.0% $271,400
31 Durham 3,542 6.9% $312,300
32 Old Mystic 3,302 5.3% $251,400
33 Litchfield 1,279 8.8% $330,000
34 Coventry Lake 2,135 6.4% $204,900
35 Higganum 1,763 3.0% $328,600
36 Lake Pocotopaug 4,849 6.1% $268,500
37 Salmon Brook 2,348 4.5% $259,500
38 Gales Ferry 1,093 1.6% $239,400
39 South Woodstock 1,031 0.0% $231,600
40 Northwest Harwinton 2,897 3.2% $268,800
41 Suffield Depot 2,020 16.2% $344,600
42 East Hampton 3,526 3.8% $256,500
43 Pemberwick 3,487 7.9% $659,700
44 Old Saybrook Center 1,984 4.5% $392,500
45 Chester Center 1,731 1.0% $351,700
46 South Coventry 1,413 3.6% $265,500
47 Saybrook Manor 1,049 4.8% $376,100
48 Guilford Center 2,653 0.8% $395,700
49 Somers 2,343 0.0% $287,200
50 Woodbury Center 1,153 1.5% $410,000
51 North Granby 1,425 6.4% $365,000
52 Niantic 3,083 1.5% $292,200
53 West Simsbury 3,131 3.2% $412,800
54 Mystic 4,776 5.3% $411,500
55 Madison Center 2,009 2.3% $601,700
56 Bethlehem Village 1,792 3.2% $333,300
57 Collinsville 3,729 3.0% $325,200
58 Crystal Lake 2,567 1.0% $319,500
59 Georgetown 1,251 7.4% $636,800
60 Weatogue 2,396 0.0% $315,000
61 Woodmont 1,601 3.2% $379,200
62 Southport 1,710 2.1% $766,900
63 Essex Village 2,757 0.4% $567,400
64 Ne 1,921 2.6% $392,500
65 Noank 1,454 3.1% $376,800
66 Wilton Center 1,808 0.0% $458,600
67 Glenville 2,976 1.9% $841,800
Download The Entire Connecticut Ranking Data

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