Compare towns
Orange vs Beacon Falls vs Brookfield vs Derby
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%).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($148k).
Derby has the most renters (38.1% 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 | Beacon Falls | Brookfield | Derby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,315 |
6,147Lowest |
17,706Highest |
12,487 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | -4.5% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
48.4±3.8Highest 18% above CT |
44.3±1.8Lowest 8% above CT |
46.4±3.1 13% above CT |
| Beacon Falls and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
18%±4.8 CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3 CT: 20.2% |
14.6%±2.9Lowest 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%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21.1%±3.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Beacon Falls 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% |
44.6% CT: 42.5% |
58.3% CT: 42.5% |
35.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
5.3%±3.2 CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Derby 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±$10k 49% above CT |
$101,516±$42k 6% above CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$79,500±$11kLowest 17% 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 |
$350,300±$34k 5% below CT |
$479,700±$24k 31% above CT |
$256,700±$21kLowest 30% 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 |
$1,921±$286 29% above CT |
$1,892±$183 27% above CT |
$1,452±$95Lowest about the CT average |
| Orange and Beacon Falls 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 |
$6,534 about the CT average |
$7,594 14% above CT |
$5,510Lowest 17% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
50.7%±30.4 CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
53.9%±12.6 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.1% CT: 10% |
10.8%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
85.5% CT: 66.5% |
86.5% CT: 66.5% |
61.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1985Highest 18 yrs newer than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1967 same as CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
33 minHighest 23% above CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
15.1%±4.8Lowest CT: 16% |
| Beacon Falls 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 | #77 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT | #138 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Regional School District 16 | Brookfield School District | Derby School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Woodland Regional High School | Brookfield High School | Derby High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
12.7Highest |
9.7Lowest |
| 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.