Compare towns
Bethany vs Brookfield vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Bethany | Brookfield | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
17,706Highest |
7,208 |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9Lowest 3% above CT |
44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT |
| Durham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
16.4%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.4%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Brookfield and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58% CT: 42.5% |
58.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
47.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Bethany and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$148,360±$11kLowest 55% above CT |
$158,857±$7k 66% above CT |
| Bethany and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $418,000±$42kLowest 14% above CT |
$479,700±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
$424,800±$23k 16% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,154±$448Lowest 22% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$7,594Lowest 14% above CT |
$7,998 20% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1 CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±28.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Durham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.1%Highest CT: 10% |
3.4% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.2% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
23 minLowest 13% below CT |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2Lowest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
| Durham and Brookfield 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 | #30 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT | #88 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Brookfield School District | Regional School District 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brookfield High School | Coginchaug Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| 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.