Meriden, CT

City in CT, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

60,545

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

38.9

years ∙ half population younger than 38.9, half older

Diversity Index

61.9%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

10.7%

foreign-born population

89.3%Native

10.7% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Meriden is a city in Connecticut, United States.

Location

City in CT, US

Co-ordinates

DEC41.536777° N, 72.794543° W

DMS41° 32′ 12.40″ N, 72° 47′ 40.35″ W

Population Density & area

2,555/sq mi (984.5/km²)

Total Area

24.1 sq mi (62.4 km²)

Land Area

23.7 sq mi (61.5 km²) · 98.5%

Water Area

0.4 sq mi (0.9 km²) · 1.5%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

48% male

Male 48%

Female 52%

males per 100 females

Meriden 92.4

Connecticut 96.3

United States 98

Nativity

10.7%

foreign-born population

89.3%Native

10.7% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Meriden 10.7%

Connecticut 15.7%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

38.9

years ∙ half population younger than 38.9, half older

Meriden

38.9

Connecticut

41.1

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

61.4

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Meriden 61.4

Connecticut 63.1

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Meriden	Connecticut	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	21.9%	20.2%	22%
Working age (18-64)	61.9%	61.3%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	16.2%	18.5%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	61.4	63.1	64.4
Child dependency ratio	35.4	32.9	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	26.1	30.2	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

47.6%

Black

7.5%

Asian

2.4%

Hispanic

38.3%

Other

4.2%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

61.9%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Meriden 61.9%

Connecticut 57%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Meriden population

Racial and ethnic composition — Meriden vs Connecticut vs United States. Source: ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates.
	Meriden	Connecticut	United States
Hispanic or Latino	38.3%	18.3%	19.3%
Mexican	5.1%	1.8%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	24%	8.1%	1.8%
Cuban	1.1%	0.4%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	8.2%	8%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	61.7%	81.7%	80.7%
One race	57.9%	77.4%	76.4%
White	47.6%	61.9%	57.4%
Black or African American	7.5%	9.8%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.1%	0.1%	0.5%
Asian	2.4%	4.7%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.2%	0.9%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	3.8%	4.3%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

64.2% family

Family 64.2%

Non family 35.8%

% family households

Meriden 64.2%

Connecticut 64.3%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.42

persons per household

Meriden

2.42

Connecticut

2.46

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Meriden population

	Meriden	Connecticut	United States
Total households	24,631	1,434,007	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.42	2.46	2.53
Family households	15,822	921,388	82,990,528
Average family size	3	3.05	3.14
Married couple family	8,610	668,528	60,637,388
Other families	7,212	252,860	22,353,140
Male householder	2,123	71,139	6,572,819
Female householder	5,089	181,721	15,780,321
Non-family households	8,809	512,619	46,236,968
One-person households	7,560	416,723	37,140,836
Male householder	3,083	177,260	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	959	61,864	5,225,110
Female householder	4,477	239,463	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	2,223	126,419	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	1,249	95,896	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

26,585

housing units

Meriden 26,585

Connecticut 1,541,822

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

92.6% occupied

Occupied 92.6%

Vacant 7.4%

vacancy rate

Meriden 7.4%

Connecticut 7%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

54.6%

Single family houses

54.6%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

44.8%

Mobile homes

0.5%

Boat, RV, van, etc

0.1%

Median Year Built

1961

Half of houses were built before 1961, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

26.7%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

33.8%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

32.5%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Meriden	Connecticut	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.2	5.6	5.5
1–3 rooms	16.6%	14.9%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	60.9%	50.2%	51.6%
7+ rooms	22.4%	34.9%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	3.2%	2.8%	2.9%
1 bedroom	12.8%	12.7%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	34.7%	26.5%	25%
3 bedrooms	35.6%	35.9%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	13.7%	22.1%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1961	1968	1981
Total housing units	26,585	1,541,822	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

60.1% owners

Renter-occupied 39.9%

Owner-occupied 60.1%

homeownership rate

Meriden 60.1%

Connecticut 66.5%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.53

Owner-occupied

2.26

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Meriden 2.53

Connecticut 2.62

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Meriden	Connecticut	United States
Total occupied units	24,631	1,434,007	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	21.5%	21.8%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	38.2%	37.7%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	18.3%	17.4%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	22%	23.1%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	96.4%	97.9%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	1.9%	1.4%	2.2%
1.51 or more	1.8%	0.7%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	10.1%	8.8%	8.4%
1 vehicle	39.3%	33.4%	33.1%
2 vehicles	33.9%	37.2%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	16.7%	20.7%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	47.2%	42.1%	51.4%
Electricity	18.5%	18.4%	41.3%
Solar	0.2%	0.2%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	31.7%	36.3%	3.9%
All other fuels	1%	2.4%	2%
No fuel used	1.4%	0.5%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.3%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	1%	0.7%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.9%	0.8%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$241,200

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Meriden

$241,200

Connecticut

$366,900

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

36.2%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

36.2%

Owners without a mortgage

20.3%

Renters

53.4%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Meriden	Connecticut	United States
Property value
Median Value	$241,200	$366,900	$332,700
Under $100,000	5.9%	3.9%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	24.4%	10.2%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	41.8%	21.5%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	25.2%	36.8%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	1.7%	20.8%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	1.1%	6.8%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	66.2%	64.6%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	33.8%	35.4%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,986	$2,429	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$963	$1,071	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,294	$1,488	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

22.2%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Meriden 22.2%

Connecticut 42.5%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

13.7%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Meriden 13.7%

Connecticut 8.5%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

13,670

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

6.8%

K–12

68.3%

College / Undergraduate

20%

Graduate / Professional

4.9%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

35.3%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Meriden

35.3%

Connecticut

48%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Meriden	Connecticut	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	13,670	865,814	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	6.8%	5.9%	5.7%
K–12	68.3%	64.2%	67.6%
Kindergarten	5%	4.4%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	19.9%	17.9%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	18.7%	19.7%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	24.7%	22.3%	21.7%
College or graduate school	24.9%	29.9%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	20%	22.6%	21%
Graduate, professional school	4.9%	7.3%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	35.3%	48%	40.9%
School type
Public school	84.2%	79.6%	82%
Private school	15.8%	20.4%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

42,279

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

6.7%

9th-12th, no diploma

HS graduate

34.8%

Some college no degree

20.9%

Associates degree

8.5%

Bachelors degree

13.9%

Graduate or professional degree

8.3%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

47.1% · 52.9%

9th-12th, no diploma

44.4% · 55.6%

HS graduate

49.8% · 50.2%

Some college no degree

45.5% · 54.5%

Associates degree

34.2% · 65.8%

Bachelors degree

44.3% · 55.7%

Graduate or professional degree

46.6% · 53.4%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Meriden	Connecticut	United States
Population (25+)	42,279	2,554,584	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	6.7%	4%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	7%	4.5%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	34.8%	25.3%	26%
Some college, no degree	20.9%	16.1%	19.1%
Associate's degree	8.5%	7.6%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	22.2%	42.5%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	13.9%	23.3%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	8.3%	19.2%	14.1%
High School or higher	86.4%	91.5%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$50,326

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$34,942

HS graduate

$45,114

Some college or associates

$49,303

Bachelors degree

$68,899

Graduate or professional degree

$80,046

Poverty Rate

4.2%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

28%

HS graduate

11.5%

Some college or associates

9.5%

Bachelors degree or higher

4.2%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Meriden	Connecticut	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$50,326	$61,786	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$34,942	$34,099	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$45,114	$44,726	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$49,303	$51,238	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$68,899	$79,601	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$80,046	$99,061	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	28%	24.8%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	11.5%	12.5%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	9.5%	8.6%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	4.2%	3.5%	4.5%

Insights for Meriden, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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