Compare towns
Hamden vs Somers vs Bethany
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 renters (37.6% rent).
Somers has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Somers | Bethany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,045Highest |
10,308 |
5,288Lowest |
| Median age | 38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT |
43.1±2.6Highest 5% above CT |
42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
| Somers and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.1%±4.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Somers and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Somers and Hamden 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% |
37.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.8%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,306±$7kLowest about the CT average |
$124,705±$15k 30% above CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $298,200±$9kLowest 19% below CT |
$395,800±$21k 8% above CT |
$418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT |
| Bethany and Somers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT |
$1,184±$346Lowest 20% below CT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,784 17% above CT |
$6,456Lowest about the CT average |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
51.6%±13.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Somers and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest CT: 10% |
2.7% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
87.6% CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.1Highest CT: 16% |
16.2%±4.6 CT: 16% |
12%±5.2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Hamden and Somers 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 | #122 of 149 in CT | #66 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Somers School District | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 |
| High school in town | Hamden High School | Somers High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
7.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.