What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bethel has the most affordable homes ($435k median).

Redding has the most people working from home (32.5%).

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	Redding
People
Population	20,796Highest	8,780Lowest
Median age	42.8±2.6Lowest 4% above CT	52±2Highest 27% above CT
Kids under 18	20.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%	19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Bethel and Redding 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%	26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.7%Lowest CT: 42.5%	72.1%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±1.5Highest CT: 7.1%	3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bethel and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,541±$7kLowest 22% above CT	$186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$434,600±$16kLowest 18% above CT	$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,640±$142Lowest 10% above CT	$2,101±$304Highest 41% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,165Lowest 23% above CT	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51%±11.5Lowest CT: 52.6%	64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6%
	Redding and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.1%Highest CT: 10%	4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.2%Lowest CT: 66.5%	91.6%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT	1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 23% above CT	36 minHighest 36% above CT
Work from home	17.5%±2.9Lowest CT: 16%	32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#100 of 149 in CT	#14 of 149 in CT
School district	Bethel School District	Redding School District · Regional School District 09
High school in town	Bethel High School	Joel Barlow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Highest	11.1Lowest
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.