Population 20,282 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bethel
Household size in Bethel
| Period | Bethel | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.68 | 2.71 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.80 | 2.61 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.71 | 2.76 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.69 | 2.75 | 2.55 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | +0.04 | −0.02 | −0.03 |
At 2.69 people per household, Bethel sits close to the national average of 2.65. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bethel
| Period | Bethel | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4 | 39.4 | 40.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.1 | 40.3 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.6 | 41.5 | 42.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.0 | 41.6 | 42.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Bethel skews older than the country: its median age is 43.0, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.4, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bethel
| Period | Bethel | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 10.1% | 11.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 10.8% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 10.1% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 10.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +0.2 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Bethel (9.9%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Bridgeport area. The single-parent share is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bethel
Renters in Bethel
| Period | Bethel | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.4% | 29.3% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.8% | 31.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.6% | 32.9% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.3% | 34.0% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +4.6 pts | +2.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Bethel own their homes; 25.3% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 29.6% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the southeast. The renter share is up 3.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bethel
| Period | Bethel | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 8.3% | 8.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 8.8% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 9.4% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 7.0% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Bethel: 6.8% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Bridgeport area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.5 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bethel
| Period | Bethel | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1961 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1962 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1964 | 1964 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1967 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Bethel run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. Locally, though, homes here are newer than in the Bridgeport area overall, where the median home dates to 1967. The median year built has moved up from 1968 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bethel
| Period | Bethel | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,190 | $1,394 | $1,127 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,274 | $1,488 | $1,218 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,277 | $1,784 | $1,380 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,813 | $2,167 | $1,702 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$623 | +$773 | +$575 | +$606 |
The median renter in Bethel pays $1,813 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the Bridgeport area as a whole ($2,167). Rent has climbed $623 a month since 2006–10, up 52%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 33.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bethel
Bachelor's degrees in Bethel
| Period | Bethel | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.2% | 43.2% | 35.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.4% | 45.5% | 37.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.4% | 47.9% | 39.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.5% | 50.4% | 42.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +7.2 pts | +6.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Bethel is highly educated: nearly half of adults 25 and older (46.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Even so, the share is lower than in the Bridgeport area overall (50.4%). The share with a degree has risen 5.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bethel
| Period | Bethel | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.5% | 87.7% | 88.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.2% | 88.8% | 89.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.7% | 89.8% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.5% | 89.7% | 91.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | +2.0 pts | +3.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Bethel is close to the national rate: 90.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has fallen 3.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Bethel has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Connecticut cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bethel
| Period | Bethel | Bridgeport area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 7.6% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 9.6% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 6.5% | 6.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 5.8% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bethel runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.6 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bethel compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel | 2.69 | 43.0 | 9.9% | 25.3% | 6.8% | 1975 | $1,813 | 46.5% | 90.5% | 4.3% |
| Danbury | 2.72 | 40.9 | 13.2% | 46.4% | 6.8% | 1973 | $1,859 | 33.8% | 82.4% | 6.2% |
| Newtown | 2.86 | 44.0 | 5.5% | 12.9% | 7.0% | 1977 | $2,124 | 57.0% | 94.4% | 3.2% |
| Redding | 2.63 | 51.0 | 4.6% | 9.8% | 5.4% | 1973 | $1,947 | 70.7% | 98.0% | 5.7% |
| Brookfield | 2.77 | 46.0 | 7.5% | 13.5% | 6.8% | 1977 | $1,893 | 57.9% | 97.2% | 3.8% |
| Ridgefield | 2.77 | 44.5 | 3.9% | 16.4% | 5.5% | 1975 | $2,157 | 72.8% | 98.0% | 3.8% |
| Sandy Hook | 2.83 | 44.9 | 9.3% | 6.4% | 12.6% | 1980 | $2,094 | 60.8% | 97.1% | 3.9% |
| New Fairfield | 2.99 | 43.6 | 7.9% | 8.4% | 10.6% | 1970 | $2,050 | 48.9% | 92.7% | 4.6% |
| Georgetown | 2.92 | 46.0 | 4.6% | 11.6% | 2.6% | 1972 | $2,523 | 71.9% | 97.0% | 5.8% |
| Monroe | 3.11 | 42.6 | 7.8% | 4.3% | 8.5% | 1977 | $1,538 | 57.3% | 97.1% | 4.2% |
| Brewster | 2.55 | 44.2 | 8.2% | 20.8% | 4.2% | 1969 | $2,134 | 43.6% | 90.4% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Morris, IL · Fulton, MO · Gaston, SC · Georgetown, DE · Sterling, IL · St. John, IN · Mount Joy, PA · Great Neck, NY · Morris Plains, NJ · Fulshear, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bethel. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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