Compare towns
Bethany vs Willimantic vs Prospect 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).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Prospect has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Hamden has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Prospect | Hamden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
18,096 |
9,458 |
61,045Highest |
| 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 |
46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
38.7±0.9 6% below CT |
| Prospect and Bethany 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% |
21.4%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Prospect 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% |
24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.3% CT: 42.5% |
47.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
15%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
$98,306±$7k about the CT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
$298,200±$9k 19% below CT |
| Bethany and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
$1,746±$50 17% above CT |
| Prospect and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,504 about the CT average |
$7,784 17% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Willimantic 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% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
3.2% CT: 10% |
9.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.5% CT: 66.5% |
62.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above CT |
23 min 12% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
22 minLowest 18% below CT |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
16.3%±2.1Highest CT: 16% |
| Hamden and Bethany 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 | — | #50 of 149 in CT | #122 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | — | Regional School District 16 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Hamden High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.5 |
| 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.