Compare towns
Stepney vs Plainville vs Bethany
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stepney has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Bethany has the most people working from home (12%).
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 | Stepney | Plainville | Bethany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,979Lowest |
17,551Highest |
5,288 |
| Median age | 47.1±5.6Highest 15% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
42.5±2.9Lowest 3% above CT |
| Stepney and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±5.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Stepney and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±4.1 CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.2%±4.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Stepney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2% CT: 42.5% |
30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±5.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Stepney and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,966±$16k 61% above CT |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
| Bethany and Stepney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,800±$53kHighest 30% above CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$418,000±$42k 14% above CT |
| Stepney and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,750±$1kHighest 85% above CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,309Highest 40% above CT |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
$8,313 25% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.2%±48.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Stepney and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.4% CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1970Lowest 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
32 min 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 9.8%±4.3Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
12%±5.2Highest CT: 16% |
| Bethany and Plainville 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 | — | #89 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 |
| High school in town | — | Plainville 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.