1st Advantage MortgageIn Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Connecticut, the typical household earns $86,191 a year and the typical rent is $1,330. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Connecticut license first.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
- The Naugatuck Valley Planning Region job picture
- Household income in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
- Rent, home values and ownership in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
- Naugatuck Valley Planning Region next to its neighbors
- The communities that make up Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
- Naugatuck Valley Planning Region residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Reading the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region data as a borrower
- Budget math at the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region median
- Licensing and complaints for Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
- Checklist for Naugatuck Valley Planning Region applicants
- More guides for Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region is home to about 454,969 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 4th most populous of 9 county-level areas in Connecticut. Land area is 413 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 1,102 per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Waterbury-Shelton, CT metropolitan area. Of the 24 Census places inside Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Waterbury leads by population with about 114,869; 15 of the 24 are incorporated.
The Naugatuck Valley Planning Region job picture
The biggest employer of Naugatuck Valley Planning Region residents, by industry, is education and health care at 28% of workers, followed by manufacturing (13%). Averaged over the five survey years, 6.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 74% drive to work alone and 17% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 9.1% of the total (8.8% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Naugatuck Valley Planning Region workers | vs Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.3% | +1.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.6% | +1.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.2% | +0.8 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.3% | -2.0 pts |
| Construction | 7.0% | +0.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.9% | -0.9 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Household income in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
The median household income in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region is $86,191; statewide it is $95,781, so Naugatuck Valley Planning Region runs 10% below Connecticut as a whole. In the state ranking that is 9th of 9.
| Households earning | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | +/- vs Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.5% | +2.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 35.4% | +1.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.8% | +0.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 14.3% | -4.9 pts |
Some 21% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 44% have six-figure incomes. 11.2% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 10.0%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.464 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $86,191 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Rent, home values and ownership in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,330 in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region versus $1,488 statewide. By the Census definition, 53% of Naugatuck Valley Planning Region renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $317,700, a typical Naugatuck Valley Planning Region house costs 3.7 times what the median household earns in a year. 69% of Naugatuck Valley Planning Region households own their home and 31% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1969.
| Housing | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Connecticut statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,330/mo | $1,488/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $317,700 | $366,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 69% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 53% | 53% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 32% | 30% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 0.8% | 0.7% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 6% | 7% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region next to its neighbors
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (20 to 34 miles). Income ranges from $88,197 in South Central Connecticut Planning Region to $128,188 in Western Connecticut Planning Region; all six of these neighbors top Naugatuck Valley Planning Region's median.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | - | $86,191 | $1,330/mo | 69% |
| South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 20 mi | $88,197 | $1,525/mo | 61% |
| Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT | 24 mi | $89,667 | $1,546/mo | 65% |
| Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT | 24 mi | $93,551 | $1,193/mo | 76% |
| Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 25 mi | $128,188 | $2,110/mo | 66% |
| Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT | 32 mi | $104,428 | $1,454/mo | 76% |
| Capitol Planning Region, CT | 34 mi | $93,394 | $1,411/mo | 66% |
The communities that make up Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
The table lists the 14 largest of 24 Census places in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, by population. Together all 24 hold about 367,299 people, so roughly 19% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $51,886 in Waterbury to $160,814 in Sandy Hook. This guide covers each of the 24 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury | city | 114,869 | $51,886 | $1,225 | 4 mi |
| Naugatuck | borough | 31,800 | $96,324 | $1,369 | 3 mi |
| Cheshire | town | 29,040 | $146,528 | $1,398 | 10 mi |
| Southbury | town | 20,071 | $112,887 | $1,935 | 8 mi |
| Ansonia | city | 19,033 | $85,877 | $1,476 | 12 mi |
| Seymour | town | 16,889 | $107,708 | $1,608 | 9 mi |
| Wolcott | town | 16,279 | $110,850 | $1,464 | 8 mi |
| Oxford | town | 12,991 | $128,953 | $1,415 | 6 mi |
| Derby | city | 12,487 | $79,500 | $1,452 | 13 mi |
| Plymouth | town | 11,746 | $94,514 | $1,276 | 11 mi |
| Sandy Hook | CDP | 9,863 | $160,814 | $1,866 | 11 mi |
| Woodbury | town | 9,833 | $131,480 | $1,563 | 7 mi |
| Prospect | town | 9,458 | $126,394 | $1,800 | 6 mi |
| Oakville | CDP | 9,276 | $95,515 | $1,414 | 5 mi |
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region residents: age, schooling, coverage
34% of Naugatuck Valley Planning Region adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 4.8%, against 5.4% for Connecticut.
| Measure | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Connecticut statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 | 41.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 33.8% | 42.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.5% | 8.5% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.8% | 5.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.1% | 8.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 12.7% | 16.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 10.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.0% | 5.6% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 24.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 35.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 23.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.7% |
| 60+ min | 8.6% |
Reading the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region data as a borrower
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Naugatuck Valley Planning Region borrowers.
- Strong incomes, long terms. 44% of Naugatuck Valley Planning Region households earn $100,000+. The risk is a term that outlasts the need.
- 53% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
Budget math at the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region median
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $86,191 a year is $7,183 of gross monthly income
- Less median rent of $1,330, which is 19% of it
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $1,543 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Naugatuck Valley Planning Region's.
Licensing and complaints for Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
The Connecticut Department of Banking is the place to verify any lender's Connecticut license. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The Connecticut guide covers state rules in more detail.
Checklist for Naugatuck Valley Planning Region applicants
A short checklist for Naugatuck Valley Planning Region borrowers:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
More guides for Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
For statewide rules and data, see the Connecticut guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Naugatuck Valley Planning Region household make?
About $86,191 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 10% below the Connecticut median.
Is Naugatuck Valley Planning Region expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,330 against $1,488 statewide, and 53% of renter households are cost-burdened.
What are the biggest places in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region?
By population: Waterbury, Naugatuck, Cheshire, Southbury, Ansonia. The county has 24 Census places in all.
Does living in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Naugatuck Valley Planning Region resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Is there a Naugatuck Valley Planning Region office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Connecticut it is the Connecticut Department of Banking.