Compare towns
Monroe 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
Monroe has the highest household income ($157k).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Monroe | Lyme | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,949Highest |
2,303Lowest |
14,315 |
| Median age | 43.5±2.2Lowest 6% above CT |
55.6±3.3Highest 35% above CT |
45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Monroe and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
30.7%±4.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
63.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
59.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Orange and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $157,250±$12kHighest 64% above CT |
$135,000±$22kLowest 41% above CT |
$142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
| Monroe and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $503,200±$31k 37% above CT |
$629,900±$105kHighest 72% above CT |
$491,500±$17kLowest 34% above CT |
| Lyme and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $994±$860Lowest 33% below CT |
$1,719±$1k 16% above CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
| Orange and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$7,328Lowest 10% above CT |
$8,988 35% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±46.4 CT: 52.6% |
32.9%±44.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
2.9% CT: 10% |
3.9%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
90.8% CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1967 same as CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above CT |
31 min 17% above CT |
28 minLowest 4% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.4%±3.3Lowest CT: 16% |
27.6%±10Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
| Lyme 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 | #48 of 149 in CT | — | #38 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Monroe School District | Regional School District 18 | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 |
| High school in town | Masuk High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.