Compare towns
Orange vs Plainfield vs Brookfield 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 homeowners (89.2%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Plainfield | Brookfield | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,315Lowest |
15,141 |
17,706 |
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 |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
35.8±1.5Lowest 13% below CT |
| Orange and Brookfield 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% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3 CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±1.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Brookfield 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% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
16%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Brookfield 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% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58.3% CT: 42.5% |
30.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$74,382±$5kLowest 22% below CT |
| 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±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$479,700±$24k 31% above CT |
$291,700±$9k 20% below CT |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,892±$183 27% above CT |
$1,442±$43 3% below CT |
| 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 35% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$7,594 14% above CT |
$6,941 4% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest 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% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
4.1% CT: 10% |
14.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
86.5% CT: 66.5% |
50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
28 minHighest 6% above CT |
23 minLowest 14% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
16.3%±3Highest CT: 16% |
9.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT | #120 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | Brookfield School District | New Haven School District · West Haven School District |
| High school in town | — | Plainfield High School | Brookfield High School | West Haven High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
12.7 |
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.