Compare towns
Bethany vs Lancaster vs Prospect vs Hamden
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 oldest population (median age 46.8).
Hamden has the most renters (37.6% rent).
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 | Hamden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
8,606 |
9,458 |
61,045Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9 9% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.8±3.9Highest 20% above U.S. |
38.7±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Prospect and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±1.5Lowest 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% |
18.1%±1.3 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% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $166,236±$20kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$126,394±$18k 57% above U.S. |
$98,306±$7kLowest 22% 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. |
$355,400±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$298,200±$9kLowest 10% below 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. |
$1,800±$433 27% above U.S. |
$1,746±$50Lowest 24% above 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. |
$7,784 150% 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% |
50.9%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Hamden 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% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 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. |
22 minLowest 17% 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% |
16.3%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #50 of 149 in CT | #122 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Nashoba | Regional School District 16 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Hamden High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.5 |
| 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.