Compare towns
Orange vs Mendon vs Derby vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most homeowners (89.2%).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Derby has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Mendon | Derby | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,315 |
6,325Lowest |
12,487 |
17,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 17% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±3.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.3±1.8 14% above U.S. |
| Derby and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Derby 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon 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 76% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$79,500±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$148,360±$11kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17k 48% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$256,700±$21kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$479,700±$24k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
$1,452±$95Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,892±$183 34% above U.S. |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$7,213 131% above U.S. |
$5,510Lowest 77% above U.S. |
$7,594 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.9%±12.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
61.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #138 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Mendon-Upton | Derby School District | Brookfield School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Derby High School | Brookfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.7Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.