Compare towns
Deep River vs Columbia vs Beacon Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deep River has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Columbia has the highest household income ($127k).
Beacon Falls has the most kids (18% under 18).
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 | Deep River | Columbia | Beacon Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,458Lowest |
5,300 |
6,147Highest |
| Median age | 46.2±5.6Lowest 12% above CT |
51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT |
48.4±3.8 18% above CT |
| Columbia and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.7 CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Beacon Falls and Deep River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±4.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Columbia and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
44.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5 CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Beacon Falls and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,253±$19kLowest 6% below CT |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
$101,516±$42k 6% above CT |
| Columbia and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,200±$26kHighest about the CT average |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
$350,300±$34kLowest 5% below CT |
| Deep River and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$185 18% below CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
$1,921±$286Highest 29% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,092 8% below CT |
$5,228Lowest 21% below CT |
$6,534Highest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±22.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Deep River and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
85.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1984 17 yrs newer than CT |
1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.2%±5.6Lowest CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4 CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Beacon Falls 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 | #70 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Deep River School District · Regional School District 04 | Columbia School District | Regional School District 16 |
| High school in town | Valley Regional High School | None in town | Woodland Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| 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.