Compare towns
Beacon Falls vs Webster vs Plainfield vs Bethany
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Beacon Falls | Webster | Plainfield | Bethany |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,147 |
17,748Highest |
15,141 |
5,288Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 48.4±3.8Highest 24% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.5±2.9 9% above U.S. |
| Beacon Falls and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bethany and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Beacon Falls and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bethany and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,516±$42k 26% above U.S. |
$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$166,236±$20kHighest 106% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,300±$34k 5% above U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$418,000±$42kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,921±$286Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,534 109% above U.S. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$8,313Highest 167% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±30.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Beacon Falls and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.3%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Beacon Falls 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 | #77 of 149 in CT | #271 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Webster | Plainfield School District | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 |
| High school in town | Woodland Regional High School | Bartlett High School | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.6Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.