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Living in
Bethel.
Bethel is an unincorporated community in the county, CT. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Bethel
Bethel is a community of 11,606 people in Connecticut. The median household income is $90,848, median rent runs about $1,656 per month, and median home values are around $377,500. The average commute is 31.4 minutes.
Bethel at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.8%
Foreign-Born
25.1%
Broadband Internet
92.2%
of households
Median household income
Demographics25.1% foreign-born, most often from Brazil
Who lives in Bethel: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bethel, the largest foreign-born group is from Brazil (38.7%), and 15.8% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
20.4%
of residents
65 and Older
16.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.9%
of households
Married Couples
36.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.36
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 11% above CT average
Rent, home values, and income in Bethel
In Bethel, rent runs 11% above the CT average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
106.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,861
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1975
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $564,442 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below CT average
Unemployment in Bethel
Unemployment in Western Connecticut Planning Region, which includes Bethel, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the CT average.
Unemployment rate
Bethel: Western Connecticut Planning Region rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Western Connecticut Planning Region (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Bethel Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute32.4 min avg
How Bethel residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bethel, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 26 mi
Westchester County Airport (HPN)
Small hub1.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 47 mi
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 99% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bethel runs 99% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
4.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
390
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bethel Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
In Fairfield County, which includes Bethel, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $27,000 |
| 2024 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $542,500 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $60,000 |
| 2022 | 16 | Winter Weather | $8,000 |
| 2021 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.1M |
| 2020 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $18.5M |
| 2019 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | $306,000 |
| 2018 | 33 | Thunderstorm Wind | $609,500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Fairfield County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Fairfield County, which includes Bethel, is typically good — 236 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
236
per year
Moderate Days
108
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Fairfield County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 23°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bethel has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 23°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
38°/23°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
51.0"
Annual Snowfall
49.3"
Hot Days/Year
20
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
126
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
134
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 21°F | 3.74" |
| Feb | 39°F | 22°F | 3.28" |
| Mar | 48°F | 29°F | 4.43" |
| Apr | 61°F | 39°F | 4.17" |
| May | 72°F | 49°F | 4.23" |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 4.83" |
| Jul | 85°F | 64°F | 4.98" |
| Aug | 82°F | 63°F | 4.88" |
| Sep | 75°F | 55°F | 4.89" |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 4.97" |
| Nov | 50°F | 34°F | 4.02" |
| Dec | 40°F | 26°F | 4.62" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bethel
Uninsured
9.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Bethel's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Danbury Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.9 mi away · Danbury
Four Winds
Psychiatric · 13 mi away · Katonah
Putnam Hospital Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13 mi away · Carmel
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bethel
Bethel's student/teacher ratio is 13.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 38.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
38.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Bethel (within 15 miles)
Western Connecticut State University
2.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 3,511 students · in-state tuition $13,401 · 54% graduate · median earnings $62,010 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Weir Farm National Historical Park, 8 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bethel
Bethel has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Weir Farm National Historical Park (8 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Weir Farm National Historical Park
National Historical Park
8 mi awaySagamore Hill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
34 mi awayEleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
National Historic Site
37 mi awayHome Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site
National Historic Site
38 mi awaySaint Paul's Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
39 mi awayVanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
National Historic Site
40 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
47 mi awayGeneral Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
48 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bethel
Bethel Public Library
189 Greenwood Ave., Bethel
Cities Near Bethel
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bethel?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bethel FAQ
Is Bethel, Connecticut affordable?⌄
Bethel's median rent is $1,656/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $90,848/year. Median home value is $378,300.
Is Bethel, Connecticut safe?⌄
Bethel's violent crime rate was 5 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 390 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bethel, Connecticut?⌄
Western Connecticut Planning Region, which includes Bethel, has an unemployment rate of 3.5%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bethel, Connecticut?⌄
The cost of living in Bethel is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,656/month and median household income is $90,848/year. The median home value is $378,300. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bethel, Connecticut?⌄
The average commute in Bethel is 32 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from