Census-designated place · Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut

Lakes West, Connecticut

Lakes West is a census-designated place in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut, part of the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metro area. It has 1,395 residents. Lakes West, Connecticut has a quality-of-life score of 99 out of 100 (very high), ranking #185 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Connecticut it ranks #2 of 160 cities and towns. It ranks best on poor or fair health (low), bachelor's degree or higher (high) and gyms and fitness centers (high). It ranks worst on high ozone days (high), child care cost burden (high) and days with unhealthy air (high).

99Very high

Quality-of-life score: #185 of 15,651 cities and towns
Connecticut: #2 of 160 in CT
Population: 1,395 (2020-2024)
Land area: 1 mi²
Density: 1,040.5 /mi²
FIPS code: 0941736

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 74 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety97#426/15,637
Economy93#1,102/15,631
Housing—
Health98#315/15,609
Healthcare93#1,021/15,650
Environment22#11,979/15,453
Education90#1,508/15,649
Infrastructure91#1,412/15,650
Community90#1,557/15,651
Leisure & amenities98#230/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Lakes West, Connecticut ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Western Connecticut Planning Region value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Poor or fair health · low8.3%
100/100Connecticut 15.9%United States 19.9%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Bachelor's degree or higher · high84.6%
100/100Connecticut 42.5%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Gyms and fitness centers · high3.3 /10k
99/100Connecticut 1.8 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWestern Connecticut Planning Region value
Adult smoking · low5.9%
99/100Connecticut 11.3%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Average weekly wage · high$2,607
99/100Connecticut $1,750United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWestern Connecticut Planning Region value
Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.277
99/100Connecticut 0.499United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083

Weaknesses

High ozone days · high15 days
4/100Connecticut 10 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyEstimated from related areas or data (see the source notes)Western Connecticut Planning Region value
Child care cost burden · high41.2%
6/100Connecticut 39.8%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteEstimated from related areas or data (see the source notes)Western Connecticut Planning Region value
Days with unhealthy air · high5.6%
8/100Connecticut 3.5%2025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyEstimated from related areas or data (see the source notes)Western Connecticut Planning Region value
Effective property tax rate · high1.56%
19/100Connecticut 1.54%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Rent-burdened households · high0.0%
22/100Connecticut 52.6%United States 51.1%2017-2021U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Natural hazard risk · high75.6
22/100Connecticut 69.12025Federal Emergency Management AgencyWestern Connecticut Planning Region value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Income inequality (Gini index)Improving
0.425 (2016-2020) → 0.277 (2020-2024)
−35%4 yearsCensus table B19083US 0.482 → 0.483
Public transit commutersWorsening
4.5% (2016-2020) → 0.0% (2020-2024)
−4.5 pts4 yearsCensus table B08301US 4.6% → 3.2%
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
80.3% (2016-2020) → 84.6% (2020-2024)
+4.3 pts4 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.9% → 35.7%
Median household incomeImproving
$184,688 (2016-2020) → $220,313 (2020-2024)
+19%4 yearsCensus table B19013US $67,340 → $81,604
Child poverty rateWorsening
0.0% (2016-2020) → 3.8% (2020-2024)
+3.8 pts4 yearsCensus table B17001US 15.7% → 15.5%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
98.5% (2016-2020) → 100.0% (2020-2024)
+1.5 pts4 yearsCensus table B28002US 85.2% → 91.0%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

There is not enough history to compare Lakes West, Connecticut over five years.

Cities and towns like Lakes West, Connecticut five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Lakes West, Connecticut in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

No place that looked like Lakes West, Connecticut five years ago has more measures that improved than declined, with a higher standing among its peers today.

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,395 residents (±330)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,395 residents (±330)

Lakes West, Connecticut
Connecticut share

White85%1,191
Black0.0%0
Hispanic or Latino2.2%†30

Education

884 residents (±183)

Lakes West, Connecticut
Connecticut share

No high school diploma0.0%0
High school or GED5.3%†47
Some college4.1%†36

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

430 households (±95)

Lakes West, Connecticut
Connecticut share

Under $25k0.0%0
$25k–50k0.0%0
$50k–75k0.0%0
$75k–100k0.0%0
$100k–150k16%†68
$150k–200k19%†80
$200k or more66%†282

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

430 households (±95)

Lakes West, Connecticut
Connecticut share

Own100%430
Rent0.0%0

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Home values

430 homes (±95)

Lakes West, Connecticut
Connecticut share

Under $150k0.0%0
$150k–250k0.0%0
$250k–400k2.1%†9

Age of homes

430 homes (±95)

Lakes West, Connecticut
Connecticut share

2010 or later2.1%†9
2000–20095.3%†23
1980–19996.5%†28

Size of homes

430 homes (±95)

Lakes West, Connecticut
Connecticut share

Studio1.6%†7
1 bedroom0.0%0
2 bedrooms0.0%0
3 bedrooms

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

752 workers (±169)

Lakes West, Connecticut
Connecticut share

Drive alone50%376
Carpool6.4%†48
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.8%†6
Bike0.0%0
Work from home43%†322
Other0.0%0

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

430 workers (±100)

Lakes West, Connecticut
Connecticut share

Under 15 min14%†59
15–29 min19%†83
30–44 min30%†127

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Western Connecticut Planning Region, the county holding most of Lakes West's residents.

Western Connecticut Planning Region has 19,955 employer establishments, 317 for every 10,000 residents (1.28× the US rate of 248; 1.29× Connecticut's), with 292,288 paid employees at an average annual pay of $113,020. The Census Bureau also counts 79,134 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 19,955; 79,134 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 317; US 248 · Connecticut 245
Paid employees: 292,288
Average annual pay: $113,020; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Western Connecticut Planning Region by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	1,597	25.3	1.22×About typical	18,754	$86,850	3,859
Restaurants and other eating places	1,543	24.5	1.33×More than typical	21,048	$32,048	319
Specialty trade contractors	1,094	17.4	1.12×About typical	7,066	$76,650	5,062
Services to buildings and dwellings	830	13.2	1.95×More than typical	7,355	$45,647	4,490
Full-service restaurants	755	12	1.56×More than typical	12,399	$36,049	161
Lessors of real estate	752	11.9	0.97×About typical	4,672	$94,790	10,102
Management, scientific and technical consulting	728	11.6	1.72×More than typical	6,766	$137,882	5,051
Landscaping services	619	9.8	2.80×More than typical	3,041	$63,191	1,308
Offices of physicians	588	9.3	1.44×More than typical	8,636	$115,521	797
Personal care services	582	9.2	1.93×More than typical	3,600	$30,274	1,569
Construction of buildings	547	8.7	1.15×About typical	2,751	$98,142	2,557
Limited-service restaurants	547	8.7	1.08×About typical	6,294	$26,813	106

Rank places for an industry Open Western Connecticut Planning Region

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 630,270 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Lakes West, Connecticut: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0; −100% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

TARGET ARM INC$00.0%
R4 TECHNOLOGIES, INC.$00.0%

Spending by fiscal year

2.9KFY2023
159.7KFY2024
85.7KFY2025
0FY2026

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Lakes West, Connecticut, so they do not add up across cities.

Lakes West, Connecticut's figures are part of those of Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT ($135.9M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Lakes West is mostly in Western Connecticut Planning Region.

See federal money in Western Connecticut Planning Region

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Lakes West, Connecticut is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).