Compare towns
Hamden vs Orange vs Brooklyn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hamden has the most renters (37.6% rent).
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 | Hamden | Orange | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,045Highest |
14,315 |
8,517Lowest |
| Median age | 38.7±0.9Lowest 6% below CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
45.6±2.5Highest 11% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
23.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,306±$7k about the CT average |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$96,207±$15kLowest about the CT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $298,200±$9kLowest 19% below CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,746±$50 17% above CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,784 17% above CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,538Lowest 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest CT: 10% |
3.9% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.1Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Hamden 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 | #122 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Hamden High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.