What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bethany has the most homeowners (97.2%).

Norwalk has the most renters (44.4% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bethany	Norwalk
People
Population	5,288Lowest	92,187Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.5% CT: +0.9%
Median age	42.5±2.9Highest 3% above CT	40.6±1Lowest about the CT average
	Bethany and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.3%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2%	18.8%±1.2Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Bethany and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.2%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5%	17%±1Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Bethany and Norwalk 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%	44.8%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1%	6.7%±0.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bethany and Norwalk 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	$107,616±$7kLowest 12% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$418,000±$42kLowest 14% above CT	$558,000±$21kHighest 52% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$2,073±$87 39% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,313Highest 25% above CT	$7,817Lowest 18% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6%	52.1%±5.2Highest CT: 52.6%
	Norwalk and Bethany 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%	9.1%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.2%Highest CT: 66.5%	55.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT	1967Lowest same as CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 21% above CT	27 minLowest about the CT average
Work from home	12%±5.2Lowest CT: 16%	15.1%±1.4Highest CT: 16%
	Norwalk 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	#112 of 149 in CT
School district	Bethany School District · Regional School District 05	Norwalk School District
High school in town	None in town	Brien McMahon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	14.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.