Compare towns
Prospect vs Wakefield vs Bethany vs Naugatuck
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Naugatuck has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
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 | Wakefield | Bethany | Naugatuck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,458 |
27,793 |
5,288Lowest |
31,800Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±3.9Highest 20% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
42.5±2.9 9% above U.S. |
39.8±2.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Prospect and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.8%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Naugatuck and Bethany 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 57% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$166,236±$20kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$96,324±$9kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Bethany and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,400±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$418,000±$42k 26% above U.S. |
$259,100±$13kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$433 27% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
— | $1,369±$58Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,504 109% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$8,313Highest 167% above U.S. |
$6,362Lowest 104% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±31.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.2%±9.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Prospect and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA | #30 of 149 in CT | #116 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 16 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Naugatuck School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town | Naugatuck High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
— | 15.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.