Compare towns
Hamden vs Mansfield vs Bethany vs Norwalk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hamden has the most affordable homes ($298k median).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Bethany has the most homeowners (97.2%).
Norwalk has the most expensive homes ($558k median).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hamden | Mansfield | Bethany | Norwalk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 61,045 |
25,358 |
5,288Lowest |
92,187Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +6.5% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 38.7±0.9 6% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
42.5±2.9Highest 3% above CT |
40.6±1 about the CT average |
| Bethany and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±1.5 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.8%±1.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Bethany and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±1.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
17%±1 CT: 18.5% |
| Hamden and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% CT: 42.5% |
57.9% CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
44.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
6.7%±0.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,306±$7k about the CT average |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$107,616±$7k 12% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $298,200±$9kLowest 19% below CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$418,000±$42k 14% above CT |
$558,000±$21kHighest 52% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,746±$50 17% above CT |
$1,602±$104Lowest 8% above CT |
— | $2,073±$87Highest 39% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,784 17% above CT |
$5,727Lowest 14% below CT |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$7,817 18% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.1%±5.2 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 9.3% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
9.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4% CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
55.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1967 same as CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2Lowest CT: 16% |
15.1%±1.4 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #122 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT | #112 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Norwalk School District |
| High school in town | Hamden High School | E. O. Smith High School | None in town | Brien McMahon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
11.8Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.