Jobs, pay and daily life in Bethel, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Bethel is a city in Connecticut with 11,404 residents. The median household earns $90,848 a year and the median rent is $1,656 a month, which is 21.9% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT (404,180 jobs), about 16 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Bethel compares. Among the 60 largest places in Connecticut, Bethel is #34 by population, #54 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #23 for remote work (#1 = most), #36 for rent (#1 = cheapest).
Bethel has 11,404 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Connecticut. It covers 6 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,850 people per square mile. The median age is 41.8, about the same as the state median (41.8 against 41.1). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $1,656 a month (rent plus utilities), 11% above the state median ($1,656 against $1,488). Over a year that is 21.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $378,300, which is 4.2 times the median household income ($90,848). 63.5% of households own their home, 4% below the state average (63.5% against 66.5%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT, metropolitan area has 404,180 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $61,470 a year, 21% above the national median ($61,470 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (44,780 jobs, median $55,640); management (42,330 jobs, median $164,920); sales and related (36,920 jobs, median $42,220). The area is most specialised in personal care and service (1.7 times) and management (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($164,920) and computer and mathematical ($122,550). The ACS estimate of unemployment among residents is 3.6%, 36% below the state estimate (3.6% against 5.6%). 70.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Fairfield County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.0% drive alone, 1.0% use public transit, 0.9% walk, 15.5% work from home. 29.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 89% above the state average (29.0% against 15.4%).
38.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 10% below the state share (38.4% against 42.5%). 25.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 60% above the state share (25.1% against 15.7%). The poverty rate is 5.8%, 42% below the state rate (5.8% against 10.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 26°F (-3.5°C). About 1,207 mm (48 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Oct is the wettest month (121 mm) and Jan the driest (76 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Danbury (4 miles, rent 11% higher); Ridgefield (7 miles, rent 15% higher); Sandy Hook (9 miles, rent 13% higher); Long Hill (12 miles, rent 18% higher). Rent differences are against Bethel; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Connecticut (193) →State guide: ConnecticutCountry guideFairfield CountyConnecticut rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 193 federal postings open in Connecticut (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Connecticut →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 12,230 | 1.21 | $37,330 | $35,060 | $53,240 | +5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 11,140 | 1.22 | $137,230 | $69,020 | $366,020 | +30% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 10,850 | 0.97 | $38,110 | $34,110 | $46,020 | +6% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 8,660 | 0.86 | $36,550 | $34,950 | $42,760 | +17% |
| Registered Nurses | 8,370 | 0.95 | $105,660 | $83,030 | $141,330 | +8% |
| Cashiers | 8,210 | 1.02 | $36,420 | $34,840 | $45,730 | +11% |
| Financial Managers | 7,210 | 3.29 | $211,000 | $93,650 | $360,160 | +27% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 6,270 | 1.06 | $38,820 | $34,360 | $64,370 | +10% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 6,220 | 1.08 | $38,630 | $35,630 | $61,930 | +5% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 5,800 | 1.31 | $57,440 | $42,580 | $79,330 | +21% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 5,660 | 0.84 | $49,970 | $38,700 | $77,200 | +12% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 5,490 | 1.47 | $79,770 | $54,770 | $121,360 | +15% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 5,220 | 0.71 | $38,060 | $35,490 | $50,080 | +2% |
| Office Clerks, General | 5,110 | 0.80 | $49,100 | $36,120 | $70,130 | +9% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 5,000 | 1.33 | $102,020 | $69,290 | $167,610 | +22% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 4,920 | 1.99 | $46,430 | $37,060 | $58,910 | +19% |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | 4,780 | 2.02 | $44,610 | $35,070 | $55,840 | +17% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 4,590 | 1.27 | $98,600 | $61,220 | $123,990 | +54% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 4,570 | 1.24 | $39,210 | $34,010 | $51,730 | +7% |
| Nursing Assistants | 4,500 | 1.20 | $45,560 | $38,660 | $53,960 | +8% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 830 | 0.93 | $367,050 | $182,160 | $452,010 | +38% |
| Financial Managers | 7,210 | 3.29 | $211,000 | $93,650 | $360,160 | +27% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 2,900 | 1.66 | $201,440 | $121,820 | $325,050 | +15% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 970 | 1.69 | $199,040 | $125,080 | $274,690 | +16% |
| Human Resources Managers | 990 | 1.73 | $191,190 | $116,020 | $318,840 | +28% |
| Lawyers | 2,100 | 1.07 | $180,610 | $103,760 | $402,750 | +13% |
| Dentists, General | 740 | 2.28 | $180,440 | $123,660 | $356,220 | +6% |
| Managers, All Other | 2,040 | 1.26 | $174,520 | $91,100 | $324,130 | +23% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 1,170 | 1.37 | $171,910 | $105,610 | $204,070 | +62% |
| Sales Managers | 2,250 | 1.36 | $169,300 | $96,200 | $305,740 | +14% |
| Marketing Managers | 2,150 | 2.10 | $169,240 | $107,750 | $310,320 | +1% |
| Software Developers | 3,090 | 0.70 | $162,650 | $102,200 | $223,320 | +20% |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | 2,550 | 2.71 | $158,310 | $81,310 | $235,750 | +54% |
| Pharmacists | 660 | 0.79 | $157,440 | $111,630 | $172,570 | +12% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 580 | 0.91 | $148,440 | $94,980 | $210,440 | +18% |
| Physician Assistants | 940 | 2.22 | $145,400 | $106,540 | $198,650 | +7% |
| Data Scientists | 570 | 0.83 | $141,760 | $94,240 | $218,000 | +18% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 800 | 0.71 | $140,750 | $75,300 | $187,460 | +21% |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 810 | 1.80 | $140,300 | $68,160 | $187,310 | +36% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 840 | 1.00 | $139,330 | $117,880 | $173,950 | +5% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT, about 16 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $61,470 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 14.2% |
| Retail trade | 13.4% |
| Manufacturing | 9.3% |
| Other services | 6.3% |
| Construction | 6.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.9% |
| Public administration | 2.8% |
| Information | 2.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Bethel lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield County | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 73.0% |
| Public transit | 1.0% |
| Walk | 0.9% |
| Work from home | 15.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 29.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $90,848 |
| Income per person | $52,368 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,656 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.9% |
| Median home value | $378,300 |
| Homeowners | 63.5% |
| Poverty rate | 5.8% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 106.9 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $61,470 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 6.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 38.4% |
| Born abroad | 25.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 70.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.5 | 26 | 76 |
| Feb | -2.5 | 28 | 81 |
| Mar | 1.7 | 35 | 97 |
| Apr | 8.2 | 47 | 105 |
| May | 14.3 | 58 | 95 |
| Jun | 19.5 | 67 | 118 |
| Jul | 23.1 | 74 | 101 |
| Aug | 22.5 | 72 | 108 |
| Sep | 18.7 | 66 | 106 |
| Oct | 11.8 | 53 | 121 |
| Nov | 5.4 | 42 | 88 |
| Dec | -0.0 | 32 | 111 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danbury | CT | 4 mi | 87,263 | $83,393 | $1,846 |
| Ridgefield | CT | 7 mi | 6,970 | $148,279 | $1,904 |
| Sandy Hook | CT | 9 mi | 9,863 | $160,814 | $1,866 |
| Long Hill | CT | 12 mi | 8,681 | $178,456 | $1,952 |
| Daniels Farm | CT | 12 mi | 5,976 | $189,091 | n/a |
| Trumbull Center | CT | 14 mi | 10,264 | $123,708 | $2,307 |
| Shelton | CT | 15 mi | 41,889 | $108,185 | $1,741 |
| Staples | CT | 15 mi | 7,340 | $192,656 | $2,328 |
| New Milford | CT | 15 mi | 8,188 | $83,235 | $1,483 |
| New Canaan | CT | 16 mi | 6,896 | $146,700 | $3,425 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
11,404 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,656 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.9% of the median household income.
$90,848 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (ACS 2020–2024 estimate).
Connecticut. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.