Compare towns
Middlefield vs Bethany vs Putnam vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the oldest population (median age 51.6).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Middlefield | Bethany | Putnam | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,243Lowest |
5,288 |
9,292Highest |
5,300 |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
42.5±2.9Lowest 3% above CT |
43.7±3 6% above CT |
51.3±10.3 25% above CT |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Bethany and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Bethany and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,837±$20k 4% above CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$127,000±$30k 33% above CT |
| Bethany and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,000±$27k about the CT average |
$418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT |
$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
| Bethany and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above CT |
— | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853 3% above CT |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$5,228 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2 CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.5%Highest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
25 minLowest 6% below CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Bethany 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 | #65 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Putnam School District | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Putnam High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
— |
| 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.