Compare towns
Bristol vs Orange vs Southington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($278k median).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k median).
Southington has the most people working from home (17.3%).
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 | Bristol | Orange | Southington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,462Highest |
14,315Lowest |
43,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
+2.3%Highest CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
45±1.4 9% above CT |
| Orange and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1.7 CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±1.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
21%±1.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
43.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±0.9 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Southington and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,076±$6kLowest 17% below CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$124,309±$9k 30% above CT |
| Orange and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,800±$8kLowest 24% below CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$373,800±$10k about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,338±$45Lowest 10% below CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,472±$77 about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,449Lowest 18% below CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$6,206 7% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±5.9 CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
43.9%±8.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 same as CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1974Highest 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
24 min 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 11.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
17.3%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
| Southington and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #51 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bristol School District | — | Southington School District |
| High school in town | Bristol Central High School | — | Southington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.