Compare towns
Ashford vs Bethany vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (27 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ashford | Bethany | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,226Lowest |
5,288 |
7,492Highest |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3Lowest 8% below CT |
42.5±2.9Highest 3% above CT |
41.5±7.7 about the CT average |
| Bethany and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Thomaston and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Ashford and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3% CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Bethany and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,926±$23k 27% above CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$103,218±$15kLowest 8% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,800±$18k 9% below CT |
$418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT |
$282,600±$23kLowest 23% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$208Highest 16% below CT |
— | $1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
| Ashford and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982 5% above CT |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$5,915Lowest 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26 CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5Highest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Ashford and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #90 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ashford School District | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.