City · Connecticut
West Haven, Connecticut
West Haven, city, in South Central Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut. West Haven had 55,351 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 55,584 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 55,351 (±38). GEOID 0982800.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
55,351
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 55,584 · ACS 2020-2024: 55,351 ±38
Median household income
$74,382
±$4,572 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $95,781
Median home value
$291,700
±$9,232 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $366,900
Median gross rent
$1,442
±$43 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $1,488
Where is West Haven and what county is it in?
West Haven is a city in South Central Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut. It covers 10.8 square miles of land, 5,171 residents per square mile in 2020.
West Haven is in the New Haven, 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 West Haven, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 55,351 people lived in West Haven on July 1, 2025, down 0.4% since 2020, while Connecticut grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 55,584 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 55,351 (±38).
| Measure | West Haven | South Central Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 55,351 ±38 | 570,598 | +588 |
| Households | 20,938 ±708 | 230,673 | +1,052 |
| Average household size | 2.47 ±0.08 | 2.38 | −0.12 |
| Housing units | 21,973 ±651 | 248,267 | no clear change |
West Haven's population since 2000
From 52,360 in 2000 to 55,351 in 2025: up 5.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for West Haven 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 West Haven?
The median resident of West Haven is 35.8 years old; 20.3% are under 18 and 16.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 43.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 27.4%. 21.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | West Haven | South Central Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.8 ±1.5 | 40.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.3% ±1.5 pts | 19.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.0% ±1.2 pts | 18.6% | – |
| Male | 48.5% ±1.4 pts | 48.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 27.4% ±2.8 pts | 19.5% | +4.2 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 43.5% ±2.9 pts | 58.5% | −6.8 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 19.7% ±2.1 pts | 13.0% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.3% ±1.1 pts | 4.5% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±0.7 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±0.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 21.1% ±2.1 pts | 13.7% | +3.1 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 32.1% ±2.6 pts | 22.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.6% ±0.9 pts | 4.5% | – |
| With a disability | 11.0% ±1.2 pts | 11.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.9% ±1.7 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.8% ±1.9 pts | 92.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.5% ±2.8 pts | 42.0% | +6.2 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.9% ±2.3 pts | 20.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.8% ±2.1 pts | 87.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.8% ±1.1 pts | 2.8% | – |
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 West Haven earn?
Half of West Haven's 20,938 households earn less than $74,382 a year (±$4,572), against $88,197 in South Central Connecticut Planning Region and $95,781 in Connecticut. In 2015-2019 it was $77,515 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | West Haven | South Central Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,382 ±$4,572 | $88,197 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $93,406 ±$5,603 | $121,469 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,740 ±$2,005 | $49,766 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.1% ±2.5 pts | 11.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 16.7% ±6.1 pts | 14.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 17.3% ±2.4 pts | 13.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.9% ±1.4 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.9% ±1.4 pts | 92.4% | – |
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 West Haven?
Owners occupy 50.6% of West Haven's occupied homes and renters 49.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $291,700 by its owner (±$9,232). The median renter pays $1,442 a month including utilities, and 46.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | West Haven | South Central Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $291,700 ±$9,232 | $353,100 | +$53,192 |
| Median gross rent | $1,442 ±$43 | $1,525 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 46.1% ±5.5 pts | 44.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,223 ±$73 | $2,377 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 50.6% ±2.8 pts | 60.5% | −4.0 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 49.4% ±2.8 pts | 39.5% | – |
| Housing units | 21,973 ±651 | 248,267 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.2% ±1.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.8% ±1.5 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 46.2% ±2.9 pts | 52.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.3% ±1.0 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 26.0% ±3.1 pts | 23.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.9% ±2.1 pts | 11.4% | – |
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 West Haven building?
Builders took permits for 25 new housing units in West Haven in 2025 (11 in single-family houses), 0.5 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 West Haven work and get to work?
72.6% of West Haven's workers drive alone and 9.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.3%.
| Measure | West Haven | South Central Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.1% ±1.9 pts | 65.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% ±1.6 pts | 6.0% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 72.6% ±2.6 pts | 69.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.9% ±2.0 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 3.0% ±1.1 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Walked | 2.6% ±0.8 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.2% ±1.4 pts | 14.3% | +5.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.9 min ±1.3 | 23.5 min | no clear change |
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 West Haven?
11 census tracts lie mostly in West Haven (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $43,356 (Tract 3615) to $124,423 (Tract 1547).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3615South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 7,088 | $43,356 |
| Tract 1542South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 7,051 | $64,179 |
| Tract 1547South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 6,328 | $124,423 |
| Tract 1550South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 5,350 | $73,184 |
| Tract 1541.02South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 5,019 | $75,991 |
| Tract 1546South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 4,986 | $69,591 |
| Tract 1545South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 4,805 | $63,815 |
| Tract 1548South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 4,545 | $116,694 |
| Tract 1549South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 3,842 | $67,022 |
| Tract 1551South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 3,463 | $75,481 |
| Tract 1541.01South Central Connecticut Planning Region | 2,874 | $60,203 |
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 West Haven) · Census block assignment files
How does West Haven compare with other places in Connecticut?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, West Haven is the 745th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 11th-most populous of 30 in Connecticut.
West Haven ranks 253rd 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 | 11th | 30 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 161st | 167 |
| Residents per square mile | 11th | 303 |
| Median household income | 253rd | 294 |
| Per capita income | 279th | 303 |
| Median home value | 229th | 300 |
| Median gross rent | 144th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 25th | 202 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 240th | 297 |
| Median age | 280th | 301 |
| Owner-occupied share | 277th | 300 |
| Work from home | 248th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 250th | 302 |
West Haven's figures with every place in Connecticut (CSV)
Every place in Connecticut, sortable · Compare West Haven 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 West Haven?
5 of the 57 figures for West Haven 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 West Haven 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' public schools in West Haven.