Compare towns
Brookfield vs Cornwall vs Lyme vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the highest household income ($148k).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($630k median).
Orange has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Brookfield | Cornwall | Lyme | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,706Highest |
1,425Lowest |
2,303 |
14,315 |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8Lowest 8% above CT |
53.9±5.1 31% above CT |
55.6±3.3Highest 35% above CT |
45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
| Lyme and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3 CT: 20.2% |
14.9%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
29.4%±2.5 CT: 18.5% |
30.7%±4.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Lyme and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
59.1% CT: 42.5% |
63.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
59.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±3 CT: 7.1% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Orange and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$128,864±$34kLowest 35% above CT |
$135,000±$22k 41% above CT |
$142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
| Brookfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $479,700±$24kLowest 31% above CT |
$554,600±$106k 51% above CT |
$629,900±$105kHighest 72% above CT |
$491,500±$17k 34% above CT |
| Lyme and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,892±$183 27% above CT |
$1,047±$121Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,719±$1k 16% above CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594 14% above CT |
$5,792Lowest 13% below CT |
$7,328 10% above CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1 CT: 52.6% |
46.8%±31.9 CT: 52.6% |
32.9%±44.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% CT: 10% |
8.2%Highest CT: 10% |
2.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
3.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
87.3% CT: 66.5% |
90.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
89.2% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
1967 same as CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above CT |
30 min 13% above CT |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
28 minLowest 4% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
32.4%±13.6Highest CT: 16% |
27.6%±10 CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
| Cornwall and Lyme 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 | #67 of 149 in CT | — | — | #38 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Cornwall School District | Regional School District 18 | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.