Compare towns
Bethany vs Norwich vs Durham 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).
Norwich has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Prospect has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
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 | Norwich | Durham | Prospect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
39,973Highest |
7,208 |
9,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.9% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
38.5±1.7Lowest 6% below CT |
45.5±2.8 11% above CT |
46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
| 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 CT: 20.2% |
20.9%±1.8 CT: 20.2% |
16.4%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Prospect and Norwich 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% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.4%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect and Durham 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% |
23.1%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
47.9% CT: 42.5% |
40.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
3.6%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Bethany and Norwich 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 |
$65,024±$5kLowest 32% below CT |
$158,857±$7k 66% above CT |
$126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
| 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 14% above CT |
$242,300±$11kLowest 34% below CT |
$424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT |
$355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
| Durham and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,253±$68 16% below CT |
$1,154±$448Lowest 22% below CT |
$1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$4,703Lowest 29% below CT |
$7,998 20% above CT |
$6,504 about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
56.2%±7.2Highest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±28.4 CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Norwich 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% |
16.7%Highest CT: 10% |
3.4% CT: 10% |
3.2% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
53.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.2% CT: 66.5% |
93.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1957Lowest 10 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above CT |
24 min 9% below CT |
23 minLowest 13% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
7.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
| Durham 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 | #133 of 149 in CT | #88 of 149 in CT | #50 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District | Regional School District 13 | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Norwich Free Academy | Coginchaug Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8Highest |
8.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.