Compare towns
Brookfield vs Durham 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 most renters (13.5% rent).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k median).
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 | Durham | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706Highest |
7,208Lowest |
14,315 |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8Lowest 8% above CT |
45.5±2.8 11% above CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
| Orange and Durham 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% |
16.4%±3.6Lowest 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%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
17.4%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3% CT: 42.5% |
47.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
3.6%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $148,360±$11k 55% above CT |
$158,857±$7kHighest 66% above CT |
$142,325±$10kLowest 49% above CT |
| Durham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $479,700±$24k 31% above CT |
$424,800±$23kLowest 16% above CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
| Orange and Brookfield 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 |
$1,154±$448Lowest 22% below 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 | $7,594Lowest 14% above CT |
$7,998 20% above CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±28.4 CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Highest CT: 10% |
3.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
3.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
89.2% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above CT |
23 minLowest 13% below CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
20.5%±6.4Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
| Durham and Brookfield 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 | #88 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Regional School District 13 | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | Coginchaug Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
8.9Lowest |
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| 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.