What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orange has the most affordable homes ($492k median).

Redding has the most people working from home (32.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Orange	Redding
People
Population	14,315Highest	8,780Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3% CT: +0.9%	—
Median age	45.6±2.4Lowest 11% above CT	52±2Highest 27% above CT
Kids under 18	22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%	19.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Orange and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5%	26.4%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5%
	Redding 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%Lowest CT: 42.5%	72.1%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1%	3.8%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Orange and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,325±$10kLowest 49% above CT	$186,060±$15kHighest 94% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$491,500±$17kLowest 34% above CT	$706,300±$33kHighest 93% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT	$2,101±$304Lowest 41% above CT
	Orange and Redding are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,988Lowest 35% above CT	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64%±12.1Lowest CT: 52.6%	64.9%±19.3Highest CT: 52.6%
	Redding 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 CT: 10%	4%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.2%Lowest CT: 66.5%	91.6%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT	1972Highest 5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 4% above CT	36 minHighest 36% above CT
Work from home	15.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 16%	32.5%±4.9Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#38 of 149 in CT	#14 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Redding School District · Regional School District 09
High school in town	—	Joel Barlow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.