Compare towns
Redding vs Orange vs Stepney 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%).
Orange has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Stepney has the most homeowners (96.4%).
Bethel has the most renters (24.8% rent).
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 | Orange | Stepney | Bethel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,780 |
14,315 |
3,979Lowest |
20,796Highest |
| Median age | 52±2Highest 27% above CT |
45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
47.1±5.6 15% above CT |
42.8±2.6Lowest 4% above CT |
| Redding and Stepney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
21.1%±5.6 CT: 20.2% |
20.9%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Stepney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
17.7%±4.1 CT: 18.5% |
16.4%±1.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Redding and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest CT: 42.5% |
59.4% CT: 42.5% |
54.2% CT: 42.5% |
45.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±5.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.7%±1.5 CT: 7.1% |
| Stepney 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 |
$142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
$153,966±$16k 61% above CT |
$116,541±$7kLowest 22% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT |
$491,500±$17k 34% above CT |
$475,800±$53k 30% above CT |
$434,600±$16kLowest 18% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,101±$304 41% above CT |
$2,172±$161 46% above CT |
$2,750±$1kHighest 85% above CT |
$1,640±$142Lowest 10% above CT |
| Stepney and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$8,988 35% above CT |
$9,309 40% above CT |
$8,165Lowest 23% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
63.2%±48.8 CT: 52.6% |
51%±11.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Redding and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4% CT: 10% |
3.9% CT: 10% |
0.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% CT: 66.5% |
89.2% CT: 66.5% |
96.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
75.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 36% above CT |
28 minLowest 4% above CT |
37 minHighest 41% above CT |
33 min 23% above CT |
| Work from home | 32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
9.8%±4.3Lowest CT: 16% |
17.5%±2.9 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | — | #100 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Redding School District · Regional School District 09 | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | — | 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 | 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.