Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Monroe is one of the best-graded places in America: an A+, ranked 1st of 151 in Connecticut. On CDC health estimates it is near the top nationally, the median household earns $157K, and crime is low: it reports less per resident than 88% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a B, is in cost of living. Monroe’s median household income is $157,000, where Connecticut’s towns sit at $109,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000. On cost of living, just 3 of Connecticut’s 175 towns do better. William E. Wolfe Park, at 692 acres with 7.7 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
Where Monroe beats most towns.
| Widest gap | Monroe | CT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.1% | 14.9% |
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Fawn Hollow Elementary School | K–5 | 682 |
| Stepney Elementary School | K–5 | 512 |
| Monroe Elementary School | PK–5 | 414 |
Census counts: 1,522 in 1830, a low of 994 in 1890, 18,825 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1907 and 7 maps from 1889 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Connecticut), ordered by how far Monroe is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Monroe. Close and well known come first.
Big draw38 mi MuseumUnited States Military Academy
14 mi Stadium & arenaYale Bowl
38 mi LandmarkFerncliff Cemetery
17 mi LakeCandlewood Lake
26 mi Theme parkLake Compounce
21 mi MuseumGlass HouseUnited States Military Academy: USMA Public Affairs Office, Public domain · Yale Bowl: Kenneth Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ferncliff Cemetery: Anthony22 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Candlewood Lake: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Lake Compounce: Wildcat1 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Glass House: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain
Who provides power, water and the rest in Monroe, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Monroe.
Monroe pairs an A for schools with modest home prices, has less food insecurity than most of Connecticut and has seen reported crime fall by a third or more.
Its widest gap with Connecticut is food insecurity: 7.1% of its 14,549 adults worry about having enough food, against 14.9% statewide.
Monroe beats the Connecticut average on 24 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 23% of adults have obesity in Monroe. Among 154 Connecticut towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who binge drink than Monroe.
| Monroe | Connecticut towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 30% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 22% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 12% | 14% |
| What stands out | Monroe | CT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.1% | 14.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.3% | 8.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.7% | 8.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its A for schools comes with a B for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $636K.
Its public schools are run by the Monroe School District. Three of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Masuk High School, with 1,044 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jockey Hollow SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 765 | B+ |
| Masuk High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,044 | B+ |
| Stepney Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 512 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CT on state tests and graduation
Reported crimes fell from 121 to 80 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 residents.
The property crime rate in Monroe is 4 per 1,000 residents.
| Monroe | Connecticut towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4 per 1,000 residents | 9.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.2 per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
96% of Monroe households own their home. Typical home values rose 8.8% in the year to September 2026.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The average commute for its 8,979 working residents takes 34.1 minutes, against 26.5 across Connecticut.
Most working residents leave Monroe for work: only 10% work in town. Monroe’s average trip to work is 34 minutes. The top destinations are Bridgeport (8%), New York (6%) and Stamford (6%).
| Monroe | Connecticut towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 5.8% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 15% | 16% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Monroe has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 19° and about 49 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. William E. Wolfe Park | 7.7 mi | 692 |
| 2. Webb Mountain Park | 3.8 mi | 136 |
| 3. Webb Mountain Discovery Zone | 2.6 mi | 177 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 65% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 12 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Monroe.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
7 within 15 miles of the center of Monroe
About 5 of every 100 Monroe residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Connecticut.
Where Monroe’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 places in Monroe on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Monroe.
Town in Connecticut, United States
Monroe is a town located in eastern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 18,825 at the 2020 census. Monroe is part of the Greater Bridgeport Planning Region. The town is largely considered a bedroom community of New York City, New Haven, Stamford and Bridgeport. Monroe contains the villages of Stepney, Stevenson and Monroe Center.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
10 towns share a border with Monroe.
At #1 in CT, it grades higher overall than all 4 graded towns on its borders; Easton (A+) comes closest.
| Town | CT rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe | #1 | A+ | B | A | A | A+ |
| Newtown | #61 | B+ | D | — | A− | A+ |
| Sandy Hook | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stepney | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Easton | #5 | A+ | D | A | A+ | A+ |
| East Village | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Shelton | #71 | B+ | D | A− | B− | A |
| Oxford | #82 | B | C− | — | B | A |
Newtown and Oxford report no FBI crime data of their own. Sandy Hook, Stepney and East Village aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Monroe with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. Monroe grades A+ overall, among the top 2% of U.S. towns and #1 of 151 in Connecticut. It grades A+ for health, A for safety and A for schools.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
4 notable people were born here, including Mike Gminski and Leslie Bader.
