Compare towns
Prospect vs Bethany vs Cheshire
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 most affordable homes ($355k median).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Cheshire has the most people working from home (19.1%).
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 | Bethany | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,458 |
5,288Lowest |
29,040Highest |
| Median age | 46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
42.5±2.9Lowest 3% above CT |
44.9±1.4 9% above CT |
| Prospect and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.9%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Cheshire and Prospect 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% |
17.2%±4.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21.3%±1.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect and Cheshire 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% |
58% CT: 42.5% |
60.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Bethany and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,394±$18kLowest 32% above CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$146,528±$12k 53% above CT |
| Bethany and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,400±$21kLowest 3% below CT |
$418,000±$42k 14% above CT |
$440,000±$17kHighest 20% above CT |
| Cheshire and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$433Highest 21% above CT |
— | $1,398±$116Lowest 6% below CT |
| Prospect and Cheshire 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 |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$7,755 17% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±31.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±6.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Prospect and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
5%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
86.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
29 min 9% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
19.1%±2.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Cheshire 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 | #30 of 149 in CT | #18 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Cheshire School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Cheshire High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
| 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.