Town · Connecticut
Cheshire, Connecticut
Cheshire, town, in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Connecticut. Cheshire had 30,983 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 9.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 28,733 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 29,040 (±58). GEOID 0914014160.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
30,983
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 28,733 · ACS 2020-2024: 29,040 ±58
Median household income
$146,528
±$11,751 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $95,781
Median home value
$440,000
±$17,110 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $366,900
Median gross rent
$1,398
±$116 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $1,488
Where is Cheshire and what county is it in?
Cheshire is a town in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Connecticut. It covers 32.8 square miles of land, 875 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Cheshire: Cheshire Village (CDP, 6,499 in 2020).
Cheshire is in the Waterbury-Shelton, CT metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Cheshire, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 30,983 people lived in Cheshire on July 1, 2025, up 9.1% since 2020, faster than Connecticut (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 28,733 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 29,040 (±58).
| Measure | Cheshire | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 29,040±58 | 454,969 | – |
| Households | 10,353±410 | 180,116 | – |
| Average household size | 2.62±0.10 | 2.49 | – |
| Housing units | 10,813±418 | 192,551 | – |
Cheshire's population since 2000
From 28,543 in 2000 to 30,983 in 2025: up 8.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Cheshire as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Cheshire?
The median resident of Cheshire is 44.9 years old; 21.9% are under 18 and 21.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 72.5%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 8.5%. 12.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Cheshire | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.9±1.4 | 41.8 | – |
| Under 18 years | 21.9%±1.8 pts | 20.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.3%±1.6 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Male | 49.3%±1.8 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.6%±1.7 pts | 19.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 72.5%±3.5 pts | 59.8% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.6%±1.1 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 8.5%±2.2 pts | 3.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.0%±2.5 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5%±0.4 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 12.0%±2.2 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 14.6%±2.7 pts | 23.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.0%±1.0 pts | 5.0% | – |
| With a disability | 10.0%±1.6 pts | 13.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.6%±0.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.9%±1.5 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 60.7%±2.9 pts | 33.8% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 28.1%±3.0 pts | 14.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.0%±2.5 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.1%±0.5 pts | 1.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Cheshire earn?
Half of Cheshire's 10,353 households earn less than $146,528 a year (±$11,751), against $86,191 in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region and $95,781 in Connecticut. 5.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Cheshire | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $146,528±$11,751 | $86,191 | – |
| Mean household income | $181,490±$13,055 | $114,324 | – |
| Per capita income | $65,820±$4,177 | $46,363 | – |
| People below the poverty line | 5.0%±1.9 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 5.7%±4.2 pts | 15.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.2%±1.8 pts | 14.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.3%±2.1 pts | 94.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.5%±2.7 pts | 90.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Cheshire?
Owners occupy 86.6% of Cheshire's occupied homes and renters 13.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $440,000 by its owner (±$17,110). The median renter pays $1,398 a month including utilities, and 34.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Cheshire | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $440,000±$17,110 | $317,700 | – |
| Median gross rent | $1,398±$116 | $1,330 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 34.6%±12.3 pts | 44.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,671±$90 | $2,229 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 86.6%±2.8 pts | 68.6% | – |
| Renter-occupied homes | 13.4%±2.8 pts | 31.4% | – |
| Housing units | 10,813±418 | 192,551 | – |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.1%±1.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.2%±4.5 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.7%±3.1 pts | 59.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.3%±0.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.4%±0.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.1%±1.1 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.1%±2.6 pts | 19.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.1%±2.2 pts | 9.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Cheshire building?
Builders took permits for 65 new housing units in Cheshire in 2025 (65 in single-family houses), 2.1 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Connecticut.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Cheshire work and get to work?
72.8% of Cheshire's workers drive alone and 19.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 28.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.1%.
| Measure | Cheshire | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.1%±2.4 pts | 65.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1%±2.1 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 72.8%±3.2 pts | 74.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.0%±1.5 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.7%±0.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Walked | 2.1%±1.3 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 19.1%±2.6 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.9 min±2.3 | 28.3 min | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Cheshire?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Cheshire (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $117,097 (Tract 3431.02) to $165,855 (Tract 3434).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3434Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | 7,297 | $165,855 |
| Tract 3433Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | 6,564 | $148,452 |
| Tract 3432Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | 6,020 | $153,322 |
| Tract 3431.01Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | 4,934 | $131,339 |
| Tract 3431.02Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | 4,225 | $117,097 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Cheshire) · Census block assignment files
How does Cheshire compare with other places in Connecticut?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Cheshire is the 340th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 13th-most populous of 142 in Connecticut.
Cheshire ranks 64th of 294 places in Connecticut with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 13th | 142 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 3rd | 167 |
| Residents per square mile | 147th | 303 |
| Median household income | 64th | 294 |
| Per capita income | 101st | 303 |
| Median home value | 98th | 300 |
| Median gross rent | 161st | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 135th | 202 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 63rd | 297 |
| Median age | 151st | 301 |
| Owner-occupied share | 89th | 300 |
| Work from home | 113th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 118th | 302 |
Cheshire's figures with every place in Connecticut (CSV)
Every place in Connecticut, sortable · Compare Cheshire with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Cheshire?
8 of the 57 figures for Cheshire on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Cheshire are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.