Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Southbury grades B− overall, ranked 96th of 151 in Connecticut, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. The median household earns $113K and it is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $450K for a typical one and 5.2 times the Waterbury metro’s $86K median household income. 33% of residents are 65 or older in Southbury, above both Connecticut’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (18%). Its National Register listings include Southbury Training School and Bullet Hill School. Among 155 Connecticut towns, just 6 have a higher median age than Southbury.
Where Southbury beats most towns.
Census counts: 1,757 in 1800, 19,879 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1704 and 6 maps from 1889 on.
12 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Connecticut), ordered by how far Southbury is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Southbury. Close and well known come first.
Big draw38 mi MuseumUnited States Military Academy
18 mi Stadium & arenaYale Bowl
12 mi LakeCandlewood Lake
20 mi Theme parkLake Compounce
39 mi National Historic SiteHome of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site102K visitors a year
35 mi Stadium & arenaPeoplesBank ArenaUnited States Military Academy: USMA Public Affairs Office, Public domain · Yale Bowl: Kenneth Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Candlewood Lake: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Lake Compounce: Wildcat1 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site: Crunch, CC BY-SA 4.0 · PeoplesBank Arena: PeoplesBank Arena, CC BY 2.5
Who provides power, water and the rest in Southbury, 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 Southbury.
Southbury costs less than Woodbury or any other town next door and is healthy by national standards but mid-pack in Connecticut; it also has a long record of flood insurance claims.
Within Connecticut it is less healthy than 52% of the 154 graded towns: Connecticut sets a high bar.
In Southbury, 30% of adults feel lonely. Among 154 Connecticut towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Southbury. The town does better than the Connecticut average on 17 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 6.
| Southbury | Connecticut towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 85% | 81% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 34% | 36% |
| What stands out | Southbury | CT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7% | 14.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.4% | 12.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13.4% | 8.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The largest public high school is Pomperaug Regional High School, with 970 students. The Regional School District 15 runs its public schools. Three of the 4 schools are below, and why each made the list.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochambeau Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 412 | A− |
| Pomperaug Regional High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 970 | A− |
| Gainfield Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 321 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CT on state tests and graduation
52% of Southbury adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more. 20,468 people lived in Southbury by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, 3% more than in 2020.
53% women, 47% men
About 88 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2 points). Across Connecticut, 50.9% of residents are women.
| Southbury | CT | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.5% | 9.8% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.7% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.3% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.9% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.6% | 14.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.9% | 10.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 17.1% | 7.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.2% | 8.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 19.3% | 25.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 14.3% | 16.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.4% | 7.6% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 27.5% | 23.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 24.4% | 19.2% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Bent of the River Audubon Center, at 591 acres with 12 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. 45 miles of trail in 24 parks and preserves. Southbury’s concentration of trails comes in at 1.1 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bent of the River Audubon Center | 12 mi | 591 |
| 2. George C. Waldo State Park | 7.5 mi | 150 |
| 3. Platt Park | 4.7 mi | 131 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The range runs from 18° on a January night to 84° on a July afternoon, with about 47 inches of snow a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Just 12% of Southbury’s working residents have a job in town. The town’s typical journey to work stands at 30 minutes. Half the trips to work are shorter than 16 miles. The share of residents in Southbury who live below the poverty line: 3.4%.
| Southbury | Connecticut towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 3.4% | 5.8% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $113,000 | $109,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 11% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
103 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 19 properties have flooded more than once.
The national flood insurance program has paid 103 claims in Southbury since 1978. Compared with 58% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in the town is higher. 69% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by hurricanes at 20%.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its typical home is the least expensive on its borders; Woodbury is next at $529K.
In Southbury, the median rent is $1,935 a month. 49% of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent in the town.
| Southbury | Connecticut towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,935 a month | $1,448 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 49% | 50% | 48% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
3 within 15 miles of the center of Southbury
About 4 of every 100 Southbury residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Connecticut.
12 places in Southbury on the National Register of Historic Places.
9 notable people were born in Southbury.
Town in Connecticut, United States
Southbury is a town in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. It is north of Oxford and Newtown, and east of Brookfield. Its population was 19,879 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. Southbury comprises sprawling rural country areas, suburban neighborhoods, and historic districts. It is a short distance from major business and commercial centers. It is 67 miles (107 km) north of New York City, and 34 miles (54 km) west of Hartford. Southbury is the only community in the country with the name "Southbury", which is why the town seal reads Unica Unaque, meaning "The One and Only."
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
7 towns share a border with Southbury.
| Town | CT rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southbury | #96 | B− | D | — | B+ | A |
| Oxford | #82 | B | C− | — | B | A |
| Middlebury | #10 | A | C | A | B+ | A |
| Newtown | #61 | B+ | D | — | A− | A+ |
| Sandy Hook | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bridgewater | — | — | C+ | — | A | A+ |
| Woodbury | #102 | B− | D | — | B | A |
| Roxbury | — | — | D | — | A | A+ |
Bridgewater and Roxbury have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Southbury, Oxford, Newtown, Bridgewater, Woodbury and Roxbury report no FBI crime data of their own. Sandy Hook isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Southbury with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Southbury grades B− overall, better than 54% of U.S. towns and #96 of 151 in Connecticut. It grades A for health and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
9 notable people were born here, including Mary Stoiana and David Longstreth.
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