What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pascoag has the youngest population (median age 39.1).

Bethlehem has the most people working from home (13.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Pascoag	Bethlehem
People
Population	4,410Highest	3,423Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.4% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	39.1±3.7Lowest about the U.S. average	51.5±8.5Highest 32% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22%	16.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Pascoag and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bethlehem and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	39.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bethlehem and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,369±$34kHighest 50% above U.S.	$108,929±$16kLowest 35% above U.S.
	Pascoag and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$365,000±$47kLowest 10% above U.S.	$410,900±$36kHighest 24% above U.S.
	Bethlehem and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,319±$444Highest 7% below U.S.	$1,127±$124Lowest 20% below U.S.
	Pascoag and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,395Lowest 41% above U.S.	$5,932Highest 90% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.1%±27.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	69.7%±38.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bethlehem and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 34% above U.S.	29 minLowest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	7.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bethlehem and Pascoag 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	—	#82 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Regional School District 14
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.