Compare towns
Webster vs Bethany vs Douglas
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 (40.2% rent).
Bethany has the most homeowners (97.2%).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | Webster | Bethany | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
5,288Lowest |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.5±2.9 9% above U.S. |
44±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Webster and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bethany and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$166,236±$20kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
| Bethany and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$418,000±$42k 26% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Lowest 13% below U.S. |
— | $1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$8,313Highest 167% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas and Bethany 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #30 of 149 in CT | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.