Compare towns
Orange vs Bethlehem vs Brookfield
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%).
Bethlehem has the most renters (29.8% rent).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Bethlehem | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315 |
3,423Lowest |
17,706Highest |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
51.5±8.5Highest 25% above CT |
44.3±1.8Lowest 8% above CT |
| Bethlehem 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% |
16.3%±4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3 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% |
24.5%±5.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bethlehem 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% |
39.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±3.1 CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Orange and Bethlehem 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 |
$108,929±$16kLowest 14% above CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above 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 |
$410,900±$36kLowest 12% above CT |
$479,700±$24k 31% above 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 |
$1,127±$124Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,892±$183 27% above CT |
| 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 35% above CT |
$5,932Lowest 11% below CT |
$7,594 14% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
69.7%±38.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Bethlehem 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% |
10.4%Highest CT: 10% |
4.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
70.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above CT |
29 minHighest 9% above CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
13.9%±5Lowest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3Highest CT: 16% |
| Brookfield and Orange 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 | #82 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Regional School District 14 | Brookfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Brookfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.