Compare towns
Redding vs Bridgewater vs Bethel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Redding has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Bethel has the most affordable homes ($435k 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 | Redding | Bridgewater | Bethel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,780 |
1,658Lowest |
20,796Highest |
| Median age | 52±2 27% above CT |
55.9±4.4Highest 36% above CT |
42.8±2.6Lowest 4% above CT |
| Bridgewater and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
14.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Bethel and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.4%±3.3 CT: 18.5% |
37%±6.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.4%±1.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest CT: 42.5% |
59.3% CT: 42.5% |
45.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±5.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.7%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Bridgewater and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT |
$159,365±$5k 66% above CT |
$116,541±$7kLowest 22% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT |
$693,000±$75k 89% above CT |
$434,600±$16kLowest 18% above CT |
| Redding and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,101±$304Highest 41% above CT |
$1,467±$233Lowest about the CT average |
$1,640±$142 10% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$6,869Lowest 3% above CT |
$8,165 23% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
47.8%±43Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±11.5 CT: 52.6% |
| Redding and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4% CT: 10% |
3%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% CT: 66.5% |
92.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
75.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 5 yrs newer than CT |
1975Highest 8 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above CT |
29 minLowest 11% above CT |
33 min 23% above CT |
| Work from home | 32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16% |
25.2%±5 CT: 16% |
17.5%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
| Redding and Bridgewater 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 | #14 of 149 in CT | — | #100 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Redding School District · Regional School District 09 | Regional School District 12 | Bethel School District |
| High school in town | Joel Barlow High School | None in town | Bethel High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 13.6Highest |
| 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.