Compare towns
Prospect vs Mansfield 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 oldest population (median age 46.8).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Mansfield | Bethany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,458 |
25,358Highest |
5,288Lowest |
| Median age | 46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
| Prospect and Bethany 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% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest 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% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect and Bethany 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% |
57.9% CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
$335,400±$20kLowest 9% 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±$433Highest 21% above CT |
$1,602±$104Lowest 8% above CT |
— |
| Prospect and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,504 about the CT average |
$5,727Lowest 14% below CT |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8 |
— |
| 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.