Compare towns
Durham vs Bethany vs Marlborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Marlborough has the most people working from home (33.2%).
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 | Durham | Bethany | Marlborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,208Highest |
5,288Lowest |
6,130 |
| Median age | 45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT |
42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
41.8±4.7Lowest about the CT average |
| Durham and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
23.6%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Marlborough and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
16.3%±3.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Durham and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.9% CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
45.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.1%±2.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Bethany and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,857±$7k 66% above CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$142,105±$35kLowest 48% above CT |
| Bethany and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,800±$23kHighest 16% above CT |
$418,000±$42k 14% above CT |
$379,100±$33kLowest 3% above CT |
| Durham and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,154±$448Lowest 22% below CT |
— | $1,333±$438Highest 10% below CT |
| Marlborough and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,998 20% above CT |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$7,397Lowest 11% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±28.4 CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
59.2%±36Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Marlborough and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
9.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.2% CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
92.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
34 minHighest 29% above CT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±6.4 CT: 16% |
12%±5.2Lowest CT: 16% |
33.2%±8.9Highest CT: 16% |
| Marlborough and Durham 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 | #88 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT | #52 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Marlborough School District |
| High school in town | Coginchaug Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9 |
— | — |
| 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.