What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the most people working from home (25.2%).

Orange has the most kids (22.9% under 18).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bridgewater	Orange
People
Population	1,658Lowest	14,315Highest
Median age	55.9±4.4Highest 36% above CT	45.6±2.4Lowest 11% above CT
Kids under 18	14.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2%	22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	37%±6.6Highest CT: 18.5%	23%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.3%Lowest CT: 42.5%	59.4%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.8%±5.3Highest CT: 7.1%	5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Bridgewater and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$159,365±$5kHighest 66% above CT	$142,325±$10kLowest 49% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$693,000±$75kHighest 89% above CT	$491,500±$17kLowest 34% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,467±$233Lowest about the CT average	$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,869Lowest 3% above CT	$8,988Highest 35% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.8%±43Lowest CT: 52.6%	64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6%
	Orange and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3%Lowest CT: 10%	3.9%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.1%Highest CT: 66.5%	89.2%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 8 yrs newer than CT	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above CT	28 minLowest 4% above CT
Work from home	25.2%±5Highest CT: 16%	15.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#38 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 12	Orange School District · Regional School District 05
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.