What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bethel has the most homeowners (75.2%).

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.

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

Measure	Bethel	Danbury
People
Population	20,796Lowest	87,263Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+7% CT: +0.9%
Median age	42.8±2.6Highest 4% above CT	40.6±1.3Lowest about the CT average
	Bethel and Danbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%	19.6%±1.4Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Bethel and Danbury 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%	17.2%±1.2Highest CT: 18.5%
	Danbury and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.7%Highest CT: 42.5%	34%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±1.5Lowest 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±$7kHighest 22% above CT	$83,393±$6kLowest 13% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$434,600±$16kHighest 18% above CT	$411,200±$12kLowest 12% above CT
	Bethel and Danbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,640±$142Lowest 10% above CT	$1,846±$63Highest 24% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,165Highest 23% above CT	$5,877Lowest 12% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51%±11.5Lowest 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%Lowest CT: 10%	11.7%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.2%Highest CT: 66.5%	53.8%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT	1975Highest 8 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above CT	30 minLowest 13% above CT
Work from home	17.5%±2.9Highest CT: 16%	12.7%±1.8Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#100 of 149 in CT	#137 of 149 in CT
School district	Bethel School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Danbury School District
High school in town	Bethel High School	Danbury High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Lowest	15.7Highest
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.