Compare towns
Bethany vs Putnam vs Stepney vs Burlington
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 most homeowners (97.2%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Stepney has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Burlington has the most people working from home (25%).
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 | Putnam | Stepney | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288 |
9,292 |
3,979Lowest |
9,680Highest |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
43.7±3 6% above CT |
47.1±5.6Highest 15% above CT |
39.9±2.4Lowest about the CT average |
| Stepney and Putnam 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% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.1%±5.6 CT: 20.2% |
25.9%±3.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Burlington and Stepney 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% |
18.5%±3.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.7%±4.1 CT: 18.5% |
13.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Putnam and Stepney 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% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
54.2% CT: 42.5% |
50.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±5.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
7.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
| Stepney and Burlington 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 |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$153,966±$16k 61% above CT |
$165,120±$13k 72% above CT |
| Bethany and Burlington 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 |
$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT |
$475,800±$53kHighest 30% above CT |
$418,700±$21k 14% above CT |
| Stepney and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT |
$2,750±$1kHighest 85% above CT |
$1,427±$671 4% below CT |
| Stepney and Burlington 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 |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$9,309Highest 40% above CT |
$7,464 12% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
63.2%±48.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
46.1%±15.9 CT: 52.6% |
| Stepney and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3% CT: 10% |
11.5%Highest CT: 10% |
0.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
2.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
96.4% CT: 66.5% |
94.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1981 14 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above CT |
25 minLowest 6% below CT |
37 minHighest 41% above CT |
29 min 9% above CT |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
9.8%±4.3 CT: 16% |
25%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | — | #58 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Putnam School District | — | Regional School District 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | — | Lewis S. Mills High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.