West Haven, Connecticut Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
West Haven, CT Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | West Haven | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,344 | 3,347,044 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3878.8 | 603.7 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.85% | -0.35% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 35.6 | 42.1 | 37.3 |
| Households | 15,779 | 1,316,506 | 130,235,071 |
Population in West Haven declined by 11.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 42,344 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in West Haven is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 25.6% of residents. That is 5.5 points above Connecticut as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 10,857 25.6% +5.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 8,850 20.9% +0.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 8,811 20.8% -1.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 6,498 15.3% -3.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Connecticut, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.2% of the people living in West Haven and men 48.8%.
- Women 51.2% Connecticut 51.0%
- Men 48.8% Connecticut 49.0%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in West Haven
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Economy
West Haven has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | West Haven | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,449 | $97,098 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.87% | 3.67% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.1% | 5.5% | 5.2% |
The median household income in West Haven is about 23% lower than in Connecticut.
Housing
| Metric | West Haven | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $146,840 | $281,244 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,423 | $1,481 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 49.4% | 67.4% | 65.2% |
The median home price in West Haven is about 8.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,423 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in West Haven spend about 38 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 157 hours, about 6.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | West Haven | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.8 | 22.1 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 37.6 | 44.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 157 | 184 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,861 | $5,704 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 16.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 18,777 | 10,657 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,595 | 1,748 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in West Haven is 19 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Connecticut.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
West Haven has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | West Haven | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.5% | 38.6% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.46 | 2.47 | 2.53 |
Health
West Haven has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | West Haven | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.1 | 80.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.4% | 12.0% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.6% | 15.2% | 19.0% |
West Haven, CT Compared With Nearby Cities
West Haven, CT is typical in size for this group, 42,344 residents against a local median of 47,596, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. The measure that sets West Haven, CT apart most is median home price: $146,840, 24% below the local median of $192,156.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $74,449 against a local median of $96,087, 23% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 23% below the local median it puts West Haven, CT at the weaker end of the local range. The cities themselves spread $61,992 on median home price, so West Haven, CT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. West Haven, CT has the 3rd highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Haven, CT | 42,344 | $74,449 #3/4 | $146,840 #3/4 | 18.8 min #2/4 |
| New Haven, CT | 103,945 | $57,972 | $193,540 | 18.6 min |
| Milford city (balance), CT | 47,596 | $111,865 | $131,548 | 21.4 min |
| East Haven, CT | 21,764 | $96,087 | $192,156 | 18.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about West Haven, Connecticut.
How many people live in West Haven, Connecticut?
About 42,344 people live in West Haven, Connecticut, in 15,779 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 35.6, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 2 years.
How densely populated is West Haven, Connecticut?
Averaged over its land area, West Haven, Connecticut has 3,879 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 45 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in West Haven, Connecticut?
The median home costs 2.0 times the median household income ($146,840 against $74,449), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,423 a month takes about 23% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in West Haven, Connecticut?
Unemployment in West Haven, Connecticut is 8.1%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in West Haven, Connecticut?
22.5% of adults in West Haven, Connecticut hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 4), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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