Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Orange vs New Milford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most people working from home (25.2%).
Orange has the oldest housing (typical home built 1964).
New Milford has the most renters (40.3% rent).
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.
| Measure | Bridgewater | Orange | New Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,658Lowest |
14,315Highest |
8,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +9.8% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 55.9±4.4Highest 36% above CT |
45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
38.6±1.4Lowest 6% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
25.6%±5.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| New Milford and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37%±6.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
15.9%±2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.3% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±5.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
3.4%±1.7Lowest 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±$10k 49% above CT |
$83,235±$10kLowest 13% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $693,000±$75kHighest 89% above CT |
$491,500±$17k 34% above CT |
$331,900±$19kLowest 10% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$233Lowest about the CT average |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,483±$136 about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,869 3% above CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,732Lowest 29% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±43Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
54.7%±18.7 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and New Milford 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% CT: 10% |
8.4%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
89.2% CT: 66.5% |
59.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 8 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1967 same as CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
24 minLowest 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 25.2%±5Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
8.5%±5Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #38 of 149 in CT | #110 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 | 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.