Compare towns
Brookfield vs Orange vs Preston
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 people working from home (16.3%).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k median).
Preston has the most affordable homes ($362k 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 | Orange | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706Highest |
14,315 |
4,821Lowest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8Lowest 8% above CT |
45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
| Preston and Orange 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% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest 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% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
| Orange and Preston 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 |
$142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
$116,648±$27kLowest 22% 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±$24k 31% above CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$361,900±$13kLowest about the CT average |
| 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 |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,433±$1kLowest 4% below 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 |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,749Lowest 29% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Preston 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% |
3.9% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
89.2% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16% |
| Brookfield 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 | #67 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Preston School District |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | 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 |
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.