Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Orange vs Redding vs Stafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Redding has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Stafford has the most affordable homes ($264k 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 | Brooklyn | Orange | Redding | Stafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
14,315Highest |
8,780 |
11,511 |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5Lowest 11% above CT |
45.6±2.4Lowest 11% above CT |
52±2Highest 27% above CT |
46.7±4.8 14% above CT |
| Redding and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6 CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.5%±3.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
22%±3 CT: 18.5% |
| Redding and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
59.4% CT: 42.5% |
72.1%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.8%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Orange and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15k about the CT average |
$142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
$186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT |
$93,235±$16kLowest about the CT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
$491,500±$17k 34% above CT |
$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT |
$263,800±$22kLowest 28% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98 24% below CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$2,101±$304 41% above CT |
$1,086±$85Lowest 27% below CT |
| Orange and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538Lowest 32% below CT |
$8,988 35% above CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$5,131 23% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
41.5%±12.2 CT: 52.6% |
| Redding and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
3.9% CT: 10% |
4% CT: 10% |
7.4%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% CT: 66.5% |
89.2% CT: 66.5% |
91.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
79.5%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
28 min 4% above CT |
36 minHighest 36% above CT |
26 minLowest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4Lowest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16% |
11%±3.5 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #14 of 149 in CT | #96 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Redding School District · Regional School District 09 | Stafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Joel Barlow High School | Stafford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.