Compare towns
Bethel vs Brookfield vs Danbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most people working from home (17.5%).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($148k).
Danbury has the most renters (46.2% 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 | Bethel | Brookfield | Danbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,796 |
17,706Lowest |
87,263Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +7% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 42.8±2.6 4% above CT |
44.3±1.8Highest 8% above CT |
40.6±1.3Lowest about the CT average |
| Brookfield and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.6%±1.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±1.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±1.2 CT: 18.5% |
| Brookfield and Danbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.7% CT: 42.5% |
58.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
7.7%±1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Danbury and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,541±$7k 22% above CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$83,393±$6kLowest 13% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $434,600±$16k 18% above CT |
$479,700±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
$411,200±$12kLowest 12% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,640±$142Lowest 10% above CT |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,846±$63 24% above CT |
| Brookfield and Danbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,165Highest 23% above CT |
$7,594 14% above CT |
$5,877Lowest 12% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±11.5 CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51.9%±4.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Danbury and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% CT: 10% |
4.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2% CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
53.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1975 8 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above CT |
28 minLowest 6% above CT |
30 min 13% above CT |
| Work from home | 17.5%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
12.7%±1.8Lowest CT: 16% |
| Bethel and Brookfield 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 | #100 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT | #137 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethel School District | Brookfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Danbury School District |
| High school in town | Bethel High School | Brookfield High School | Danbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
12.7Lowest |
15.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.