Compare towns
Orange vs Plainfield vs Canton vs Milford
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 highest household income ($142k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Canton has the most people working from home (24.8%).
Milford has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Canton | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,315 |
15,141 |
10,144Lowest |
52,684Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest CT: +0.9% |
— | — | -1.4%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
45.3±5.2 10% above CT |
46.6±1.4Highest 13% above CT |
| Milford 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 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
22.6%±4 CT: 20.2% |
17.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
22.1%±1.5 CT: 18.5% |
| Canton and Orange 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% |
57.2% CT: 42.5% |
50.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
2.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5%±0.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Orange 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 |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$117,991±$20k 23% above CT |
$110,669±$7k 16% above CT |
| Orange and Canton 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 |
$395,300±$24k 8% above CT |
$416,800±$9k 14% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,403±$358 6% below CT |
$1,882±$80 26% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$7,232 9% above CT |
$6,694 about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
59.9%±28.9 CT: 52.6% |
51.3%±7.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Canton 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%Highest CT: 10% |
5.7% CT: 10% |
5.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.7% CT: 66.5% |
75.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1965 2 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
29 minHighest 9% above CT |
25 minLowest 4% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
24.8%±6.1Highest CT: 16% |
17.7%±1.8 CT: 16% |
| Canton and Milford 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 | #22 of 149 in CT | #98 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | Canton School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Milford School District |
| High school in town | — | Plainfield High School | Canton High School | Jonathan Law High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
9.6Lowest |
10.8Highest |
| 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.