Compare towns
Bethany vs Hamden vs Ridgefield vs Prospect
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 most homeowners (97.2%).
Hamden has the most renters (37.6% rent).
Ridgefield has the most expensive homes ($836k median).
Prospect has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
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 | Hamden | Ridgefield | Prospect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
61,045Highest |
25,109 |
9,458 |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT |
45.1±1.4 10% above CT |
46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
| Prospect and Ridgefield 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% |
17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
24.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Ridgefield and Prospect 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% |
18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
18.7%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect and Ridgefield 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% |
47.8% CT: 42.5% |
72.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $166,236±$20k 74% above CT |
$98,306±$7kLowest about the CT average |
$179,219±$12kHighest 87% above CT |
$126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
| Ridgefield and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $418,000±$42k 14% above CT |
$298,200±$9kLowest 19% below CT |
$836,200±$26kHighest 128% above CT |
$355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,746±$50Lowest 17% above CT |
$2,026±$200Highest 36% above CT |
$1,800±$433 21% above CT |
| Ridgefield and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,313 25% above CT |
$7,784 17% above CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$6,504Lowest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
53.3%±12Highest CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Ridgefield and Hamden 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% |
9.3%Highest CT: 10% |
3.5% CT: 10% |
3.2% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.5% CT: 66.5% |
93.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above CT |
22 minLowest 18% below CT |
33 minHighest 25% above CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
29.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 149 in CT | #122 of 149 in CT | #4 of 149 in CT | #50 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Ridgefield School District | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Hamden High School | Ridgefield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.