What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).

Wauregan has the most renters (39.4% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bethany	Wauregan
People
Population	5,288Highest	1,049Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+27.7% CT: +0.9%
Median age	42.5±2.9Highest 3% above CT	32±5.9Lowest 22% below CT
Kids under 18	20.3%±5.9Lowest CT: 20.2%	25.6%±9.8Highest CT: 20.2%
	Wauregan and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.2%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5%	10.2%±5.4Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Bethany and Wauregan 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%	18.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1%	3.1%±3.3Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bethany and Wauregan 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	$79,545±$18kLowest 17% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT	$262,700±$15kLowest 28% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,254±$476 16% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,313Highest 25% above CT	$3,649Lowest 45% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6%	22.4%±19.5Highest CT: 52.6%
	Wauregan and Bethany 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%	3%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.2%Highest CT: 66.5%	60.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 21% above CT	31 minLowest 17% above CT
Work from home	12%±5.2Highest CT: 16%	6.8%±7.6Lowest CT: 16%
	Bethany and Wauregan 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	—
School district	Bethany School District · Regional School District 05	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.