Compare towns
Bethany vs Lancaster vs Prospect vs Durham
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%).
Prospect has the most affordable homes ($355k median).
Durham has the shortest commute (23 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 | Prospect | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
8,606 |
9,458Highest |
7,208 |
| 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. |
46.8±3.9Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.5±2.8 17% above U.S. |
| Prospect and Durham 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Prospect 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Prospect and Lancaster 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bethany and Durham 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. |
$126,394±$18kLowest 57% above U.S. |
$158,857±$7k 97% above U.S. |
| 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±$42k 26% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$355,400±$21kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$424,800±$23k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,800±$433 27% above U.S. |
$1,154±$448Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,313Highest 167% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$6,504Lowest 109% above U.S. |
$7,998 156% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.3%±31.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±28.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Prospect 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Durham 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 | #50 of 149 in CT | #88 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Nashoba | Regional School District 16 | Regional School District 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Coginchaug Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.9 |
| 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.