West Haven, Connecticut

City · population 55,584 (2020 Census)

Median home: $291,700
Household income: $74,382
Jan low / Jul high: 23° / 82°
Snow a year: 36 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950: 5
Median age: 35.8

West Haven is a city of 55,584 people, Connecticut. The median home is worth $291,700, below the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). It ranks more walkable than 98% of Connecticut towns, more vibrant than 95% of Connecticut towns, more seaside character than 90% of Connecticut towns.

How West Haven ranks

Percentile among Connecticut towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Connecticut towns.

The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in West Haven is worth $291,700, below the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $74,382, which is more affordable than 36% of Connecticut towns. Median rent is $1,442 a month. 50.6% of households own their home.

Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Connecticut towns with 500+ people.

Housing	West Haven	Typical Connecticut town
Median home value	$291,700	$376,000
Median rent	$1,442	$1,462
Median household income	$74,382	$109,167
Home value ÷ income	3.9×	3.6×
Homeownership	50.6%	80.3%
Median year built	1959	1969
Seasonal / vacation homes	0.3%	—

Who lives in West Haven

People	West Haven	Typical Connecticut town
Median age	35.8	45.0
Age 65 and over	16.0%	20.6%
Under 18	20.3%	—
Bachelor's degree or higher	30.5%	45.8%
Below the poverty line	14.1%	5.7%
Veterans	4.6%	—
Born outside the U.S.	21.1%	—
Work from home	9.2%	16.8%
Average commute	22.9 min	27.6 min
Homes with broadband	92.9%	93.8%

Weather in West Haven

July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 23.0°F. About 41.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.1 inches of snow (typical Connecticut town: 39.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 102 nights at or below freezing.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the New Haven Tweed Ap station (4.2 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 2 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Haven since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Connecticut town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on July 10, 1989 about 4.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 13, 2021.

NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on October 4, 2010.

Public schools in West Haven

10 public schools with 6,425 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.

School	Grades	Students	Per teacher
West Haven High School	9-12	1,793	16.2
Harry M. Bailey Middle School	7-8	885	10.1
Carrigan 5/6 Intermediate School	5-6	878	11.6
Engineering - Science University Magnet School	6-12	600	11.5
Savin Rock Community School	PK-4	484	11.5
Forest School	PK-4	439	11.3
Alma E. Pagels School	PK-4	363	10.7
Seth G. Haley School	PK-4	341	9.0
Washington School	PK-4	331	9.2
Edith E. Mackrille School	PK-4	311	12.0

Towns near West Haven

Orange, CT
3.1 mi · 14,280 people · home $491,500
New Haven, CT
3.5 mi · 134,023 people · home $287,100
East Haven, CT
5.8 mi · 27,923 people · home $294,200
Milford, CT
6.1 mi · 50,558 people · home $415,200
Woodbridge, CT
6.6 mi · 9,087 people · home $588,100
Derby, CT
7.0 mi · 12,325 people · home $256,700
Ansonia, CT
7.3 mi · 18,918 people · home $287,200
Oronoque, CT
7.5 mi · 3,790 people · home $355,600

West Haven questions

Is West Haven, Connecticut a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Haven scores better for retirees than 3% of Connecticut towns and quieter than 2%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.8).

How much does a house cost in West Haven?

The median owner-occupied home in West Haven is valued at $291,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,382, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,442 a month.

What is the weather like in West Haven?

July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 23.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.8 inches of precipitation a year and 36.1 inches of snow.

Does West Haven get tornadoes?

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Haven since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on July 10, 1989. The typical Connecticut town has had 8.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to West Haven's Census boundary (GEOID 0982800). Comparisons use the median of Connecticut towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center.

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)

Data snapshot 2026-11-13.