Population 15,476 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Waterford
Household size in Waterford
| Period | Waterford | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.61 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.55 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | −0.02 | −0.03 |
Households in Waterford are small: just 2.34 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Waterford has smaller households than at least four in five Connecticut cities.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Waterford
| Period | Waterford | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.9 | 40.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.4 | 42.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.3 | 42.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.7 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.3, Waterford is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 46.9, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Waterford
| Period | Waterford | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 11.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Waterford: 6.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Waterford
Renters in Waterford
| Period | Waterford | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.0% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.8% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +9.5 pts | +2.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Waterford is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 43.6% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 9.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Waterford
| Period | Waterford | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 8.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Waterford is close to the national rate: 9.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Waterford has a higher vacancy rate than at least four in five Connecticut cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Waterford
| Period | Waterford | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1964 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Waterford is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1970, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1966 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Waterford
| Period | Waterford | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $976 | $1,127 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,176 | $1,218 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,419 | $1,380 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,633 | $1,702 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$657 | +$575 | +$606 |
Rent in Waterford runs $1,633 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $657 a month since 2006–10, up 67%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 34.7% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the west.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Waterford
Bachelor's degrees in Waterford
| Period | Waterford | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.2% | 35.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.0% | 37.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.0% | 39.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.9% | 42.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +6.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in Waterford (41.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 7.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the east.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Waterford
| Period | Waterford | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.7% | 88.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.5% | 89.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.4% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.4% | 91.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +3.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Waterford: 96.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Waterford
| Period | Waterford | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 6.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Waterford is close to the national rate: 5.7% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged up 0.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Waterford compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterford | 2.34 | 46.3 | 6.3% | 21.8% | 9.4% | 1970 | $1,633 | 41.9% | 96.4% | 5.7% |
| New London | 2.11 | 37.6 | 17.3% | 63.8% | 8.5% | 1949 | $1,311 | 27.0% | 87.7% | 6.3% |
| Millstone | 1.95 | 57.1 | 5.3% | 15.0% | 22.4% | 1957 | $1,674 | 50.3% | 90.1% | 10.2% |
| Pleasure Beach | 2.52 | 45.6 | 12.4% | 18.3% | 8.5% | 1972 | $1,733 | 50.4% | 96.2% | 6.2% |
| Niantic | 2.12 | 52.9 | 4.8% | 23.2% | 17.3% | 1969 | $1,732 | 48.8% | 98.0% | 2.2% |
| Quaker Hill | 2.65 | 46.9 | 5.6% | 14.0% | 9.0% | 1961 | $1,711 | 37.2% | 95.8% | 5.4% |
| Conning Towers Nautilus Park | 2.76 | 27.7 | 17.1% | 80.4% | 8.8% | 1982 | $1,851 | 28.3% | 97.2% | 6.2% |
| East Lyme | 2.43 | 44.9 | 7.8% | 24.3% | 4.3% | 1981 | $1,612 | 58.6% | 97.5% | 3.7% |
| Groton | 2.12 | 39.1 | 11.9% | 50.1% | 9.5% | 1971 | $1,424 | 38.8% | 92.7% | 5.6% |
| Giants Neck | 1.84 | 38.4 | 23.5% | 71.5% | 0.5% | 2012 | $751 | 15.3% | 89.2% | 0.0% |
| South Lyme | 2.36 | 49.4 | 2.1% | 1.1% | 28.4% | 1969 | $2,198 | 62.4% | 98.4% | 1.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Wallkill, NY · West Henrietta, NY · Shiloh, IL · Dardenne Prairie, MO · Washington, IN · Warrington, FL · Warrenville, IL · Warren, PA · Warren, NJ · Wapakoneta, OH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Waterford. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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