Compare towns
Orange vs Chaplin vs Plainfield vs West Haven
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 expensive homes ($492k median).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
West Haven has the most renters (49.4% rent).
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 | Chaplin | Plainfield | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,315 |
2,070Lowest |
15,141 |
55,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest CT: +0.9% |
— | — | 0%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
35.8±1.5Lowest 13% below CT |
| Orange and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±1.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
16%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
25.4% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| West Haven and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$97,846±$14k about the CT average |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$74,382±$5kLowest 22% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$291,700±$9k 20% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,473±$275 about the CT average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,442±$43 3% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,524 32% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$6,941 4% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±5.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.4% CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
14.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
82.9% CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
23 minLowest 14% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
9.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Chaplin 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 | #38 of 149 in CT | — | #131 of 149 in CT | #120 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Plainfield School District | New Haven School District · West Haven School District |
| High school in town | — | Parish Hill High School | Plainfield High School | West Haven High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.5Lowest |
10.3 |
15.6Highest |
| 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.