Compare towns
Durham vs Bethany vs Middlebury
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 most people working from home (20.5%).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
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 | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,208 |
5,288Lowest |
7,807Highest |
| Median age | 45.5±2.8Highest 11% above CT |
42.5±2.9Lowest 3% above CT |
44.4±2.3 8% above CT |
| Durham and Middlebury 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% |
22%±3.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Middlebury and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
22.7%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Middlebury and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
53.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±2.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Bethany and Middlebury 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 |
$133,487±$26kLowest 39% 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±$23k 16% above CT |
$418,000±$42kLowest 14% above CT |
$476,400±$23kHighest 30% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,154±$448Highest 22% below CT |
— | $398±$387Lowest 73% below CT |
| Durham and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,998Lowest 20% above CT |
$8,313 25% above CT |
$8,434Highest 27% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±28.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
12.7%±6.9 CT: 52.6% |
| Durham and Middlebury 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% |
5.8%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.2% CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
87.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
25 min 5% below CT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2Lowest CT: 16% |
15.3%±3.2 CT: 16% |
| Durham and Middlebury 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 | #55 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Regional School District 15 |
| 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.