Compare towns
Sprague vs Webster vs Bethlehem vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (13.9%).
Norwich has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Sprague | Webster | Bethlehem | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,962Lowest |
12,228 |
3,423 |
39,973Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±10.7 25% above U.S. |
37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
51.5±8.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
38.5±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Bethlehem and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bethlehem and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,850±$11k 15% above U.S. |
$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$108,929±$16kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$65,024±$5k 19% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,500±$17k 18% below U.S. |
$333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$410,900±$36kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$242,300±$11kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,247±$144 12% below U.S. |
$1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,127±$124Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,253±$68Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Norwich and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,668 50% above U.S. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$5,932Highest 90% above U.S. |
$4,703 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±12.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.7%±38.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.2%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bethlehem and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem and Norwich 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 | #141 of 149 in CT | #271 of 282 in MA | #82 of 149 in CT | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sprague School District | — | Regional School District 14 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 14.8 |
| 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.