Compare towns
Norwalk vs Orange vs Windsor Locks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwalk has the most renters (44.4% rent).
Orange has the highest household income ($142k).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k 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 | Norwalk | Orange | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 92,187Highest |
14,315 |
12,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 40.6±1Lowest about the CT average |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
| Orange and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±1.2 CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17%±1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±0.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Norwalk and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,616±$7k 12% above CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$81,205±$13kLowest 15% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $558,000±$21kHighest 52% above CT |
$491,500±$17k 34% above CT |
$258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,073±$87 39% above CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,394±$187Lowest 6% below CT |
| Orange and Norwalk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,817 18% above CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.1%±5.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest same as CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±1.4Lowest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Windsor Locks 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 | #112 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Norwalk School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Brien McMahon High School | None in town | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| 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.