Compare towns
Prospect vs Beacon Falls vs Bethany
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
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 | Prospect | Beacon Falls | Bethany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,458Highest |
6,147 |
5,288Lowest |
| Median age | 46.8±3.9 14% above CT |
48.4±3.8Highest 18% above CT |
42.5±2.9Lowest 3% above CT |
| Beacon Falls and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Prospect and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
44.6% CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2 CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Bethany and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
$101,516±$42kLowest 6% above CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
$350,300±$34kLowest 5% below CT |
$418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT |
| Bethany and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$433Lowest 21% above CT |
$1,921±$286Highest 29% above CT |
— |
| Beacon Falls and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,504Lowest about the CT average |
$6,534 about the CT average |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Beacon Falls and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Highest CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
2.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% CT: 66.5% |
85.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above CT |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
| Beacon Falls 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 | #50 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Regional School District 16 | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | Woodland Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.