Compare towns
Orange vs Bridgewater vs Derby
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).
Bridgewater has the most people working from home (25.2%).
Derby has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | Orange | Bridgewater | Derby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315Highest |
1,658Lowest |
12,487 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest CT: +0.9% |
— | -4.5%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Lowest 11% above CT |
55.9±4.4Highest 36% above CT |
46.4±3.1 13% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
14.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
14.6%±2.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
37%±6.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
21.1%±3.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
59.3% CT: 42.5% |
35.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±5.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±2 CT: 7.1% |
| Bridgewater and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
$159,365±$5kHighest 66% above CT |
$79,500±$11kLowest 17% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17k 34% above CT |
$693,000±$75kHighest 89% above CT |
$256,700±$21kLowest 30% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,467±$233 about the CT average |
$1,452±$95Lowest about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$6,869 3% above CT |
$5,510Lowest 17% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
47.8%±43Lowest CT: 52.6% |
53.9%±12.6 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% CT: 10% |
3%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.8%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2% CT: 66.5% |
92.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
61.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1975Highest 8 yrs newer than CT |
1967 same as CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
29 minHighest 11% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
25.2%±5Highest CT: 16% |
15.1%±4.8Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 149 in CT | — | #138 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Regional School District 12 | Derby School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Derby High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.7 |
| 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.