Compare towns
Bethany vs Redding vs Hamden 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 most homeowners (97.2%).
Redding has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Hamden has the most renters (37.6% rent).
Prospect has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
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 | Redding | Hamden | Prospect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
8,780 |
61,045Highest |
9,458 |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
52±2Highest 27% above CT |
38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT |
46.8±3.9 14% above CT |
| Redding and Prospect 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% |
19.1%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Prospect 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 CT: 18.5% |
26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
24.5%±4.3 CT: 18.5% |
| Redding and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58% CT: 42.5% |
72.1%Highest CT: 42.5% |
47.8% CT: 42.5% |
40.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
3.8%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $166,236±$20k 74% above CT |
$186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT |
$98,306±$7kLowest about the CT average |
$126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
| Redding and Bethany 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 |
$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT |
$298,200±$9kLowest 19% below CT |
$355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,101±$304Highest 41% above CT |
$1,746±$50Lowest 17% above CT |
$1,800±$433 21% above CT |
| Redding and Prospect 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$7,784 17% above CT |
$6,504Lowest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Redding and Hamden 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% |
4% CT: 10% |
9.3%Highest CT: 10% |
3.2% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
91.6% CT: 66.5% |
62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above CT |
36 minHighest 36% above CT |
22 minLowest 18% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16% |
16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 149 in CT | #14 of 149 in CT | #122 of 149 in CT | #50 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Redding School District · Regional School District 09 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Joel Barlow High School | Hamden High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— |
| 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.