Compare towns
Bethany vs Monroe 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 highest household income ($166k).
Monroe has the most people working from home (15.4%).
Prospect has the most affordable homes ($355k 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 | Monroe | Prospect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
18,949Highest |
9,458 |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9Lowest 3% above CT |
43.5±2.2 6% above CT |
46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
| Prospect and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
25.2%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Monroe and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
15.6%±2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect 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 CT: 42.5% |
57.3% CT: 42.5% |
40.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.1%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Bethany and Monroe 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 74% above CT |
$157,250±$12k 64% above CT |
$126,394±$18kLowest 32% above CT |
| Bethany and Monroe 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 |
$503,200±$31kHighest 37% above CT |
$355,400±$21kLowest 3% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $994±$860Lowest 33% below CT |
$1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
| Prospect and Monroe 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 |
$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% |
48.8%±46.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Monroe and Prospect 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% |
2.6% CT: 10% |
3.2%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
95.7% CT: 66.5% |
93.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above CT |
34 minHighest 29% above CT |
28 minLowest 4% above CT |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
15.4%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Monroe and Bethany 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 | #48 of 149 in CT | #50 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Monroe School District | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Masuk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.