Compare towns
Bethany vs Prospect vs Reading
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 most homeowners (97.2%).
Prospect has the most affordable homes ($355k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Prospect | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
9,458 |
25,612Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9Lowest 9% above U.S. |
46.8±3.9Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Prospect and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Prospect 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% |
24.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Prospect and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bethany and Prospect 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. |
$126,394±$18kLowest 57% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
| Bethany and Reading 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. |
$355,400±$21kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,800±$433Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
| Reading and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,313 167% above U.S. |
$6,504Lowest 109% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.3%±31.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Prospect and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 149 in CT | #50 of 149 in CT | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Regional School District 16 | Reading |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.