# Bethel, Connecticut

Bethel (/ˈbɛθəl/) is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. 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.

## 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".
The first meeting of the Young Communist League was held in Bethel in May 1922.
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 km$^2$), of which 16.8 square miles (44 km$^2$) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km$^2$), or 0.53%, is water. The Bethel CDP, corresponding to the town center, has a total area of 4.1 square miles (11 km$^2$), all land. Bethel borders Redding to the south, Danbury to the west, Brookfield to the north, and Newtown to the east.

## Demographics

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.
As of the census 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/km$^2$). There were 6,653 housing units at an average density of 396.1 per square mile (152.9/km$^2$). 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. 88.7% spoke English, 4.4% Spanish, 3.3% Portuguese, 1.5% German and 1.0% French as their first language.
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
* P.T. Barnum Fountain, c. 1914
* Greenwood Avenue, c. 1909
* 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 :
| 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 31, 2023 :
| Party | Party | Active voters | Inactive voters | Total voters | Percentage |
| | Republican | 3,126 | 240 | 3,366 | 23.9% |
| | Democratic | 3,985 | 326 | 4,311 | 30.6% |
| | Unaffiliated | 5,469 | 710 | 6,179 | 43.9% |
| | Minor parties | 199 | 26 | 225 | 1.6% |
| Total | Total | 12,779 | 1,302 | 14,081 | 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).

## Notable people

* Raghib Allie-Brennan, member of the Connecticut House of Representatives (raised in Bethel)
* Matt Barnes (born 1990), pitcher for the Washington Nationals
* P. T. Barnum (1810–1891), showman
* Barbara Britton (1919–1980), stage, film and television actress
* Dan Cramer, mixed martial arts fighter for the Ultimate Fighting Championship
* Tony Dovolani, ballroom dancer, cast member on Dancing with the Stars
* Kevin Gutzman, constitutional scholar and professor of history
* Allan J. Kellogg, Medal of Honor recipient
* Jan Miner (1917–2004), actress
* Thurston Moore (born 1958), singer and guitarist for Sonic Youth
* Noël Regney, composer
* Meg Ryan, actress
* Julius Hawley Seelye (1824–1895), missionary, author, congressman, and former president of Amherst College
* Glover Teixeira, Professional MMA fighter
* Annamarie Tendler (born 1985), artist
* Henry Arthur "Art" Young (1866–1943), cartoonist

## Transportation

Interstate 84 passes through Bethel, and it has a train station on the Danbury Branch of Metro-North's New Haven Line. 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.