Compare towns
Bethany vs Willimantic vs Bolton vs Middlebury
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).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Bolton has the most people working from home (20.7%).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
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 | Willimantic | Bolton | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288 |
18,096Highest |
4,853Lowest |
7,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
43.7±3.3 6% above CT |
44.4±2.3Highest 8% above CT |
| Middlebury 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% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
20%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22%±3.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Middlebury and Willimantic 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% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±3.4 CT: 18.5% |
22.7%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Middlebury and Bolton 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% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
51.3% CT: 42.5% |
53.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
7.7%±2.6 CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$126,364±$19k 32% above CT |
$133,487±$26k 39% above CT |
| Bethany and Middlebury 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 |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$367,600±$17k about the CT average |
$476,400±$23kHighest 30% above CT |
| Middlebury and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,063±$68 29% below CT |
$1,127±$55Highest 24% below CT |
$398±$387Lowest 73% below CT |
| Bolton and Willimantic 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 |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$8,091 22% above CT |
$8,434Highest 27% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±30.8 CT: 52.6% |
12.7%±6.9 CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic and Bolton 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% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
7.2% CT: 10% |
5.8% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
88% CT: 66.5% |
87.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above CT |
23 minLowest 12% below CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
25 min 5% below CT |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
20.7%±4.6Highest CT: 16% |
15.3%±3.2 CT: 16% |
| Bolton and Middlebury 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 | #55 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | — | Bolton School District | Regional School District 15 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Bolton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.4 |
— |
| 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.