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The beautiful town of Bethany in south central Connecticut covers
21.6 square miles and is home to approximately 4,800 residents. Bethany was first
settled in 1717 but it was not until May 1832 before Bethany separated from
Woodbridge to become incorporated as a town. This slightly remote, sparsely
populated, residential town retains its rural character. There is some dairying
and agriculture. The town is dotted with reservoirs serving Naugatuck and,
principally, New Haven. |
Click for Enlargement |
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Location: midway between New Haven and Waterbury on State
Routes 63 and 69. Characteristics: rural, mostly agricultural and residential
with some light industry. No municipal water or sewer services. Elementary
School for approximately 600 students. Regional District #5 (Amity) Junior
High school located in town, and Senior High located in neighboring
Woodbridge.
Postal Zip Code: 06524, Telephone Area Code: 203
Bethany's Town Seal
Bethany's town seal is a perfect circle within which appears
another circle. The inner circle is a circle of rope. In the upper aspects of
the seal appear the words TOWN OF BETHANY CONNECTICUT in two
curved lines of print bordering the inner aspect of the rope circle. On the
bottom of the seal also bordering the inner aspect of the rope circle appear the
words INCORPORATED 1832. These words form the top and bottom edges of a third inner
circle the sides of which are made of a string of inverted oak leaves on each
side. A roadway bisecting the seal and extending from bottom to center is
pictured within the third inner most circle. Surrounded by trees are Christ
Episcopal Church pictured on the right, and First Church of Christ
Congregational and the carriage shed on the left.
Form of Government
Bethany is governed by a Board of Selectmen, Town Meeting, Board of
Finance form of government. Elections are held biennially in odd years on the
first Monday in May. The Annual Town Meeting is held the third Monday in May,
and Special Town Meetings are held as needed.
Chief elected officials
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Members
Derrylyn Gorski, First Selectman  Steven C. Thornquist, Selectman Walter G. Briggs, Selectman
Contact
Board of Selectmen Bethany Town Hall 40 Peck Road Bethany, CT 06524 203-393-2100 x100 First Selectman, 203-393-2100 x101, Selectmen Assistant, 203-393-2100 x100, Bookkeeper, 203-393-2100 x109,
Click on the main headings to go to the original information sources
A computer-calculated study ranked
all 169 towns and cities in the state of Connecticut according to attractiveness
and quality of life. Twelve different criteria were used to rank the towns:
Crime Rate, High School Graduates Attending 4-Year Colleges, Housing Prices,
Infant Mortality Rate, Per Capita Income, Per Capita Taxes, Population Change,
Poverty Rate, Student/Teacher Ratio, Unemployment Rate, Distance from Metro
Areas, and Prettiness of Towns.
1. REDDING (most attractive) |
(Tie) 41. OLD LYME |
85. SHELTON |
127. FRANKLIN |
2. RIDGEFIELD |
44. WOLCOTT |
86. WESTPORT |
128. FAIRFIELD |
3. LYME |
(Tie) 45. WOODBURY |
87. BEACON FALLS |
129. STERLING |
4. WESTON |
(Tie) 45. WOODSTOCK |
88. KENT |
130. PUTNAM |
5. EASTON |
47. HEBRON |
89. COLCHESTER |
131. VERNON |
6. NEW FAIRFIELD |
48. BETHLEHEM |
90. NEWINGTON |
132. GROTON |
7. SOUTHBURY |
49. GUILFORD |
91. CHAPLIN |
133. THOMPSON |
8. SHERMAN |
50. MIDDLEBURY |
92. MIDDLEFIELD |
134. WALLINGFORD |
9. NEW CANAAN |
51. HADDAM |
93. NORTH STONINGTON |
135. SPRAGUE |
10. HARTLAND |
52. GRANBY |
94. SALISBURY |
136. CLINTON |
11. LEDYARD |
53. BETHEL |
95. THOMASTON |
137. WINDSOR LOCKS |
12. BURLINGTON |
54. LEBANON |
96. EAST HADDAM |
138. EAST HAVEN |
(Tie) 13. COLUMBIA |
55. CHESHIRE |
97. WETHERSFIELD |
139. NAUGATUCK |
(Tie) 13. MARLBOROUGH |
56. DURHAM |
(Tie) 98. UNION |
140. SEYMOUR |
15. PROSPECT |
(Tie) 57. EASTFORD |
(Tie) 98. WINDSOR |
141. WINCHESTER |
(Tie) 16. WILTON |
(Tie) 57. SUFFIELD |
100. LISBON |
142. MANCHESTER |
(Tie) 16. WOODBRIDGE |
(Tie) 59. BROOKFIELD |
101. CROMWELL |
143. PLAINVILLE |
18. WARREN |
(Tie) 59. EAST HAMPTON |
102. ORANGE |
144. TORRINGTON |
19. CHESTER |
(Tie) 61. FARMINGTON |
103. PORTLAND |
145. BROOKLYN |
20. DARIEN |
(Tie) 61. MORRIS |
104. MANSFIELD |
146. BRISTOL |
21. TOLLAND |
63. EAST LYME |
105. ROCKY HILL |
(Tie) 147. STAMFORD |
22.
BETHANY |
64. SOUTH WINSOR |
106. NORTH HAVEN |
(Tie) 147. STRATFORD |
(Tie) 23. ROXBURY |
65. BRIDGEWATER |
107. NORFOLK |
149. ENFIELD |
(Tie) 23. SALEM |
66. GREENWICH |
108. STONINGTON |
150. PLAINFIELD |
(Tie) 23. SIMSBURY |
67. ASHFORD |
(Tie) 109. SCOTLAND |
151. BLOOMFIELD |
26. MADISON |
68. NEW MILFORD |
(Tie) 109. WEST HARTFORD |
152. MILFORD |
27. EAST GRANBY |
69. GLASTONBURY |
111. SOUTHINGTON |
153. MIDDLETOWN |
(Tie) 28. HARWINTON |
70. NORTH BRANFORD |
112. BERLIN |
154. EAST WINDSOR |
(Tie) 28. NEWTOWN |
71. NEW HARTFORD |
113. HAMDEN |
155. DANBURY |
(Tie) 30. LITCHFIELD |
72. DEEP RIVER |
114. CORNWALL |
156. NORWALK |
(Tie) 30. PRESTON |
73. COLEBROOK |
115. CANAAN |
157. DERBY |
32. BOLTON |
(Tie) 74. COVENTRY |
(Tie) 116. CANTERBURY |
158. KILLINGLY |
33. KILLINGWORTH |
(Tie) 74. WILLINGTON |
(Tie) 116. WESTBROOK |
159. NEW LONDON |
34. SOMERS |
76. SHARON |
118. VOLUNTOWN |
160. NORWICH |
35. POMFRET |
77. NORTH CANAAN |
119. HAMPTON |
161. ANSONIA |
36. MONROE |
78. BRANFORD |
120. WINDHAM |
162. EAST HARTFORD |
(Tie) 37. ANDOVER |
(Tie) 79. CANTON |
121. STAFFORD |
163. WEST HAVEN |
(Tie) 37. AVON |
(Tie) 79. WASHINGTON |
122. GRISWOLD |
164. MERIDEN |
(Tie) 39. BARKHAMSTED |
81. WATERTOWN |
123. PLYMOUTH |
165. WATERBURY |
(Tie) 39. OXFORD |
(Tie) 82. GOSHEN |
124. MONTVILLE |
166. NEW BRITAIN |
(Tie) 41. BOZRAH |
(Tie) 82. TRUMBULL |
125. OLD SAYBROOK |
167. BRIDGEPORT |
(Tie) 41. ESSEX |
84. ELLINGTON |
126. WATERFORD |
168. NEW HAVEN |
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169. HARTFORD (least attractive) |
1998 Population: 4,795
1998 Households: 1,618
1998 Per Capita Income: $30,802
1998-2003 Projected Population Growth: 2.0%
Median Age: 39.6
Land Area: 21.0 Sq. Miles
Population/Sq. Mile: 228.7
Miles to Hartford: 39
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1996 Crime rate per 1000 Residents: 13.1 1996 Equalized Grand List: $423,666,339
1996 Equalized Mill Rate: 17.06
1997 Nominal Mill Rate: 25.05
Economics - 1997
Number of Business Establishments: 234
1996 Retail Sales: $10,320,593
Labor Force: 2,703
Employed: 2,616
Unemployment Rate: 3.2%
Total Non-Farm Employment within Town: 990
Total Manufacturing Employment within Town: 220
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Education
1995-1996 School Year
Total Number of Students: 922
Expenditures per student : $8,294
Average Teacher Salary: $42,578
Percent of Students in Public School: 87.2%
% Grads pursuing Post-Sec Educ: 94.5%
Avg Verbal SAT: 540
Avg Math SAT: 540
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Average Kindergarten Class Size: 19.3
Average 2nd Grade Class Size: 21.0 Average 5th Grade Class Size: 18.8
Average 7th Grade Class Size: 18.6
Average High School Class Size: 18.5
Housing - 1996-1997
1997 Total Housing Units: 1,753
1997 Percent Single Detached Units: 94.0%
1996 Number of Residential Sales: 61
1996 Median Sales Price: $181,500
1996 Average Sales Price: $196,779
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Other Important Considerations |
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06524 |
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Regional Average |
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National Average |
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Demographics |
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Population |
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4,515 |
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22,062 |
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9,429 |
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Population density |
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212 |
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2,594 |
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1,179 |
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Percent female |
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49.24% |
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51.53% |
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50.35% |
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Percent male |
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50.76% |
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48.47% |
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49.65% |
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Median household income |
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$88,008 |
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$64,551 |
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$39,702 |
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Households |
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1,566 |
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8,639 |
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3,555 |
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People per household |
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2.88 |
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2.49 |
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2.63 |
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Median age |
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37.9 |
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36.8 |
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36.5 |
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Median income |
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$34,968 |
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$30,869 |
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$18,598 |
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Percent married |
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64.21% |
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51.96% |
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58.33% |
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Percent single (includes never married, divorced, separated,
and widowed) |
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35.79% |
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48.04% |
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41.67% |
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Education |
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School achievement index |
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9.80 |
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7.32 |
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5.20 |
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Spending per student |
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$8,397 |
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$8,236 |
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$5,896 |
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Students per teacher |
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13.9 |
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16.0 |
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16.1 |
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Students per librarian |
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207.0 |
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427.8 |
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934.0 |
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Students per guidance counselor |
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354.0 |
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477.8 |
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560.0 |
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High school graduation rate |
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91.71% |
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85.22% |
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76.44% |
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College degree - 2 year |
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9.27% |
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8.88% |
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8.19% |
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College degree - 4 year |
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26.93% |
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22.53% |
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14.93% |
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Graduate degree |
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23.27% |
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17.18% |
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7.01% |
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Crime |
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Violent crime risk |
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1 |
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3 |
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3 |
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Property crime risk |
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1 |
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4 |
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3 |
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Cost of
Living |
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Overall |
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120.6 |
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111.7 |
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100.0 |
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Health &
Safety |
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Physicians per 100,000 population |
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414.3 |
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403.5 |
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168.5 |
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Air quality |
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22.0 |
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24.4 |
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50.0 |
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Watershed quality |
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44.0 |
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43.7 |
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50.0 |
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Toxic sites |
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21.0 |
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25.5 |
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70.0 |
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Health costs index |
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103.9 |
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107.0 |
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103.7 |
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UV index |
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3.50 |
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3.49 |
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4.30 |
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Economy |
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Unemployment rate |
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3.30% |
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3.15% |
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4.70% |
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Recent job growth |
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-1.74% |
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-1.81% |
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0.90% |
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Future job growth |
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3.39% |
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3.80% |
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10.83% |
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Sales tax rate |
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6.00% |
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6.00% |
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6.20% |
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Income tax rate |
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4.50% |
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4.50% |
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5.02% |
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Housing |
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Median home purchase costs |
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$193,128 |
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$163,544 |
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$137,081 |
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Home appreciation |
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10.21% |
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10.06% |
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6.27% |
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Median age of homes |
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27.6 |
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31.8 |
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27.8 |
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Percent of homes owned vs. rented |
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88.94% |
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65.14% |
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63.40% |
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Vacancy rating |
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1.80% |
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7.21% |
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14.91% |
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Transportation |
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Work at home |
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3.16% |
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2.55% |
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5.61% |
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Commute by bus |
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0.67% |
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3.05% |
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1.95% |
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Commute by carpool |
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8.85% |
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10.60% |
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14.57% |
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Commute by own car |
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86.20% |
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77.48% |
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71.60% |
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CLIMATE |
Bethany |
US Avg. |
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Rainfall (in.) |
38.6 |
34.6 |
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Snowfall (in.) |
27.7 |
24.3 |
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Precip. days |
126 |
109 |
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Sunny days |
208 |
213 |
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Days over 90 |
6 |
34 |
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Freeze days |
102 |
83 |
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Avg July high |
81.5 |
85.9 |
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Avg Jan. low |
23.4 |
26.8 |
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Comfort index |
31 |
34 |
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Elevation ft. |
10 |
750 |
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HAZARDS (10=worst) |
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UV index |
3.5 |
4.5 |
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Earthquakes |
2.0 |
2.7 |
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Tornadoes |
0.0 |
0.0 |
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Hurricanes |
2.0 |
1.7 |
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Connecticut Towns Ranked by Attractiveness