Compare towns
Prospect vs Ridgefield 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 most affordable homes ($355k median).
Ridgefield has the most people working from home (29.7%).
Bethany has the youngest population (median age 42.5).
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 | Ridgefield | Bethany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,458 |
25,109Highest |
5,288Lowest |
| Median age | 46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
45.1±1.4 10% above CT |
42.5±2.9Lowest 3% above CT |
| Prospect and Ridgefield 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% |
24.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Ridgefield 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% |
18.7%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Prospect and Ridgefield 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% |
72.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
58% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Bethany and Ridgefield 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 |
$179,219±$12kHighest 87% above CT |
$166,236±$20k 74% above CT |
| Ridgefield and Bethany 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 |
$836,200±$26kHighest 128% above CT |
$418,000±$42k 14% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$433Lowest 21% above CT |
$2,026±$200Highest 36% above CT |
— |
| Ridgefield 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$8,313 25% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±31.8 CT: 52.6% |
53.3%±12Highest CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Ridgefield 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% |
3.5%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% CT: 66.5% |
83.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above CT |
33 minHighest 25% above CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.2Lowest CT: 16% |
29.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 149 in CT | #4 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Ridgefield School District | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ridgefield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.