What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Wethersfield has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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	Wethersfield
People
Population	20,796Lowest	27,250Highest
Median age	42.8±2.6Lowest 4% above CT	43.4±1.5Highest 6% above CT
	Wethersfield and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.9%±2.5Lowest CT: 20.2%	21.1%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2%
	Wethersfield 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%	20.4%±2Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.7%Lowest CT: 42.5%	54.8%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±1.5Highest CT: 7.1%	5.3%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bethel and Wethersfield 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	$126,806±$12kHighest 32% above CT
	Wethersfield and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$434,600±$16kHighest 18% above CT	$324,600±$11kLowest 12% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,640±$142Highest 10% above CT	$1,370±$150Lowest 8% below CT
	Bethel and Wethersfield 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	$7,296Lowest 10% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51%±11.5Highest CT: 52.6%	48.6%±11.9Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Bethel and Wethersfield 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%	6.9%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.2%Lowest CT: 66.5%	80.6%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT	1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above CT	21 minLowest 20% below CT
Work from home	17.5%±2.9Lowest CT: 16%	18%±2.6Highest CT: 16%
	Wethersfield and Bethel 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	#92 of 149 in CT
School district	Bethel School District	Capitol Region Education Council · Wethersfield School District
High school in town	Bethel High School	Wethersfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Lowest	13.8Highest
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.