Compare towns
Orange vs Sandy Hook vs Derby vs Woodbridge
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1964).
Sandy Hook has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Derby has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Woodbridge has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Sandy Hook | Derby | Woodbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,315Highest |
9,863 |
12,487 |
9,073Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest CT: +0.9% |
— | -4.5%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
43.1±3Lowest 5% above CT |
46.4±3.1 13% above CT |
48.7±2.3Highest 18% above CT |
| Woodbridge and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
22.6%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
14.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
24.7%±4.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Woodbridge and Orange 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21.1%±3.9 CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Woodbridge 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% CT: 42.5% |
60.9% CT: 42.5% |
35.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
71.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±2 CT: 7.1% |
2.6%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Sandy Hook 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 49% above CT |
$160,814±$25k 68% above CT |
$79,500±$11kLowest 17% below CT |
$188,750±$34kHighest 97% above CT |
| Woodbridge and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17k 34% above CT |
$501,200±$33k 37% above CT |
$256,700±$21kLowest 30% below CT |
$588,100±$40kHighest 60% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,866±$439 25% above CT |
$1,452±$95Lowest about the CT average |
$1,808±$110 22% above CT |
| Orange and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988 35% above CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$5,510Lowest 17% below CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
52.4%±26.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
53.9%±12.6 CT: 52.6% |
71.1%±23.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Woodbridge and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% CT: 10% |
5.6% CT: 10% |
10.8%Highest CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2% CT: 66.5% |
92.9% CT: 66.5% |
61.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1967 same as CT |
1967 same as CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
35 minHighest 33% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
25 minLowest 7% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
15.1%±4.8Lowest CT: 16% |
17.2%±5.5 CT: 16% |
| Sandy Hook and Woodbridge 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 | — | #138 of 149 in CT | #16 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | — | Derby School District | Regional School District 05 · Woodbridge School District |
| High school in town | — | — | Derby High School | Amity Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.7Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.