Compare towns
Bethany vs Putnam vs Upton vs Beacon Falls
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%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Beacon Falls has the oldest population (median age 48.4).
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 | Upton | Beacon Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
9,292Highest |
8,189 |
6,147 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
48.4±3.8Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Beacon Falls and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Bethany 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% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Beacon Falls and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bethany and Beacon Falls 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. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$101,516±$42k 26% above U.S. |
| Bethany and Upton 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. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$350,300±$34k 5% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,921±$286Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,313 167% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,534 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±30.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 22% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Beacon Falls 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #77 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Putnam School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | Blackstone Valley | Woodland Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
11.2Highest |
11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.