Bethel, Connecticut

Bethel (/ˈbɛθəl/) is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States.[2] As of the 2020 census, the population of the town was 20,358. The town is part of the Western Connecticut Planning Region. The town includes the Bethel Census Designated Place.[3]

Bethel station, November 2011. The station is part of Metro-North Railroad's Danbury Branch.

Bethel, Connecticut
Town
Town of Bethel
Greenwood Avenue, a historic street in Bethel.
Greenwood Avenue, a historic street in Bethel.
Flag of Bethel, Connecticut
Flag
Official seal of Bethel, Connecticut
Seal
Bethel's location within Fairfield County and Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°22′27″N 73°23′42″W
Country United States
U.S. state Connecticut
CountyFairfield
RegionWestern CT
Incorporated1855
Government
 • TypeSelectman-town meeting
 • First selectmanDan Carter (R)
 • SelectmanRichard C. Straiton (D)
 • SelectmanBryan Terzian (R)
Area
 • Total16.9 sq mi (43.8 km2)
 • Land16.8 sq mi (43.5 km2)
 • Water0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation
482 ft (147 m)
Population
 (2022)[1]
 • Total20,156
 • Density1,204.6/sq mi (465.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code
06801
Area codes203/475
FIPS code09-04720
GNIS feature ID213390[2]
Websitewww.bethel-ct.gov

History

Bethel was first settled around 1700. The town incorporated in 1855 from Danbury. Bethel is a name derived from Hebrew meaning "house of God".[4]

The first meeting of the Young Communist League was held in Bethel in May 1922.[5]

In 1934, Rudolph Kunett started the first vodka distillery in the U.S. after purchasing rights to the recipe from the exiled Smirnoff family.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 16.9 square miles (44 km2), of which 16.8 square miles (44 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 0.53%, is water. The Bethel CDP, corresponding to the town center, has a total area of 4.1 square miles (11 km2), all land. Bethel borders Redding to the south, Danbury to the west, Brookfield to the north, and Newtown to the east.

Demographics
See also: List of Connecticut locations by per capita income
Historical population
YearPop.±%
18601,711—    
18702,311+35.1%
18802,727+18.0%
18903,401+24.7%
19003,327−2.2%
19103,792+14.0%
19203,201−15.6%
19303,886+21.4%
19404,105+5.6%
19505,104+24.3%
19608,200+60.7%
197010,945+33.5%
198016,004+46.2%
199017,541+9.6%
200018,067+3.0%
201018,584+2.9%
202020,358+9.5%
Source: [6]

As of the 2010 census Bethel had a population of 18,584. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 88.8% white, 1.8% black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 4.5% Asian, 2.8% from some other race and 1.9% from two or more races. 7.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino from any race.[7]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 18,067 people, 6,505 households, and 4,846 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,075.7 inhabitants per square mile (415.3/km2). There were 6,653 housing units at an average density of 396.1 per square mile (152.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town in 2005 was 85.86% White, 1.91% African American, 0.26% Native American, 4.58% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.20% from other races or of multiple races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.33% of the population. 20.2% were of Italian, 17.5% Irish, 9.1% German, 7.0% English, 6.7% American and 6.0% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000.[9] 88.7% spoke English, 4.4% Spanish, 3.3% Portuguese, 1.5% German and 1.0% French as their first language.[10]

There were 6,505 households, out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $68,891, and the median income for a family was $78,358. Males had a median income of $51,816 versus $36,544 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,927. About 1.2% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Historic pictures
  • Bird's eye view, c. 1910
    Bird's eye view, c. 1910
  • P.T. Barnum Fountain, c. 1914
    P.T. Barnum Fountain, c. 1914
  • Greenwood Avenue, c. 1909
    Greenwood Avenue, c. 1909
  • South Street, c. 1910
    South Street, c. 1910

Economy

Battery manufacturer Duracell is headquartered in Bethel.

Arts and culture

Sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places include Greenwood Avenue Historic District, Rev. John Ely House, and Seth Seelye House.

Government
Bethel town vote
by party in presidential elections[11][12]
Year Democratic Republican Third Parties
2020 56.12% 6,270 42.37% 4,734 1.51% 168
2016 48.52% 4,777 46.47% 4,575 5.02% 494
2012 51.18% 4,777 47.63% 4,445 1.19% 111
2008 53.57% 5,179 45.20% 4,370 1.23% 119
2004 46.74% 4,486 51.34% 4,927 1.92% 184
2000 48.50% 4,324 45.50% 4,057 6.00% 535
1996 46.62% 3,883 41.69% 3,472 11.69% 974
1992 34.04% 3,178 42.56% 3,974 23.40% 2,185
1988 36.41% 2,924 62.43% 5,013 1.16% 93
1984 29.09% 2,312 70.57% 5,610 0.34% 27
1980 32.24% 2,379 54.42% 4,015 13.34% 984
1976 41.54% 2,640 57.67% 3,665 0.79% 50
1972 30.88% 1,709 67.56% 3,739 1.55% 86
1968 39.80% 1,780 53.06% 2,373 7.13% 319
1964 65.63% 2,731 34.37% 1,430 0.00% 0
1960 44.86% 1,862 55.14% 2,289 0.00% 0
1956 24.59% 850 75.41% 2,607 0.00% 0
Voter Registration & Party Affiliation as of October 26, 2021[13]
Party Active voters Inactive voters Total voters Percentage
Republican 3,173 254 3,427 24.45%
Democratic 3,909 310 4,219 30.09%
Minor parties 211 29 240 1.71%
Unaffiliated 5,458 675 6,133 43.75%
Total 12,751 1,268 14,019 100%

Education

Bethel High School located in Bethel.

Media

Movies filmed in Bethel

Films partially shot in Bethel include: Rachel, Rachel (1968), Other People's Money (1991), and Revolutionary Road (2008).[14]

Notable people

Transportation

Interstate 84 passes through Bethel, and it has a train station on the Danbury Branch of Metro-North's New Haven Line.[18] The Danbury Branch provides commuter rail service between Danbury, to South Norwalk, Stamford, and Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Housatonic Area Regional Transit provides local bus service.

References
  1. "Census - Geography Profile: Bethel town, Fairfield County, Connecticut". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Town of Bethel
  3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bethel Census Designated Place
  4. The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly. Connecticut Magazine Company. 1903. p. 331.
  5. "YOUNG COMMUNIST LEAGUE/YOUNG WORKERS LEAGUE (1921-1946) organizational history". www.marxisthistory.org. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  6. "Section VII-Local Government". Archived from the original on February 16, 2008. Retrieved March 9, 2007.
  7. 2010 population by race and Hispanic or Latino by place chart for Connecticut from the US Census
  8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  10. "Data Center Results".
  11. "General Elections Statement of Vote 1922".
  12. "Election Night Reporting". CT Secretary of State. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  13. "CT Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics" (PDF).
  14. "Filming Location Matching "Bethel,%20Connecticut,%20USA" (Sorted by Popularity Ascending)". IMDb.
  15. Dixon, Ken, "Music Hall of Fame proposed for state", article in Connecticut Post in Bridgeport, Connecticut, April 26, 2007 ("Thurston Moore, leader of alt-rock legends Sonic Youth, who grew up in Bethel")
  16. "What Connecticut was like in 1988". Connecticut Post. March 16, 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  17. Shook, J.R.; Hull, R.T. (2005). Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers. The Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers. Thoemmes. p. 2188. ISBN 978-1-84371-037-0. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  18. http://as0.mta.info/mnr/stations/station_detail.cfm?key=278 "Metro North Railroad Home > Stations Bethel," MTA.com. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
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