Compare towns
Bethany vs Coventry vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Coventry has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
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 | Coventry | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,288 |
35,907Highest |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9 9% above U.S. |
44±1.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Coventry and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Coventry and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bethany and Coventry 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 106% above U.S. |
$102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $418,000±$42kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$356,200±$11k 7% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,313Highest 167% above U.S. |
$5,099 63% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±11.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Coventry and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 22% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethany and Sterling 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 | #24 of 38 in RI | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Coventry | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Coventry High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.