Compare towns
Bethany vs Lancaster vs Bolton
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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Bolton has the shortest commute (25 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 | Bethany | Lancaster | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,288 |
8,606Highest |
4,853Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
43.7±3.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Bolton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bethany and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Bolton 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% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bolton and Bethany 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. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$126,364±$19kLowest 57% above U.S. |
| Bethany and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $418,000±$42k 26% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$367,600±$17kLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,127±$55Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,313Highest 167% above U.S. |
$7,235Lowest 132% above U.S. |
$8,091 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±30.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Bolton 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #79 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Nashoba | Bolton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bolton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.4 |
| 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.