Compare towns
Orange vs Sturbridge 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%).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($148k).
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 | Sturbridge | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315 |
9,960Lowest |
17,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 17% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.3±1.8Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge 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% |
20.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Sturbridge 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. |
$136,759±$15kLowest 69% above U.S. |
$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±$17kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$479,700±$24k 44% above U.S. |
| 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 54% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$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. |
$6,520Lowest 109% above U.S. |
$7,594 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orange and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sturbridge and Brookfield 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #67 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Brookfield School District |
| High school in town | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Brookfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.