Compare towns
Bethany vs Stepney vs Bolton vs Hamden
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).
Stepney has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Bolton has the most people working from home (20.7%).
Hamden has the most renters (37.6% rent).
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 | Stepney | Bolton | Hamden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288 |
3,979Lowest |
4,853 |
61,045Highest |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
47.1±5.6Highest 15% above CT |
43.7±3.3 6% above CT |
38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT |
| Stepney and Bolton 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% |
21.1%±5.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
20%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Stepney 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% |
17.7%±4.1 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±3.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
| Bolton and Hamden 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% |
54.2% CT: 42.5% |
51.3% CT: 42.5% |
47.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±5.4 CT: 7.1% |
7.7%±2.6 CT: 7.1% |
15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Hamden and Stepney 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 |
$153,966±$16k 61% above CT |
$126,364±$19k 32% above CT |
$98,306±$7kLowest about the CT average |
| Bethany and Stepney 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 |
$475,800±$53kHighest 30% above CT |
$367,600±$17k about the CT average |
$298,200±$9kLowest 19% below CT |
| Stepney and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,750±$1kHighest 85% above CT |
$1,127±$55Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,746±$50 17% above CT |
| Stepney and Hamden 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 |
$9,309Highest 40% above CT |
$8,091 22% above CT |
$7,784Lowest 17% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
63.2%±48.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±30.8 CT: 52.6% |
50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Stepney and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3% CT: 10% |
0.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
7.2% CT: 10% |
9.3%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
96.4% CT: 66.5% |
88% CT: 66.5% |
62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above CT |
37 minHighest 41% above CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
22 minLowest 18% below CT |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
9.8%±4.3Lowest CT: 16% |
20.7%±4.6Highest CT: 16% |
16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
| Bolton and Hamden 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 | — | #79 of 149 in CT | #122 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | — | Bolton School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Bolton High School | Hamden High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.4Lowest |
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.