Compare towns

Orange vs Bloomfield vs Orange vs Derby

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.

Orange, CTSouth Central Connecticut Planning Region · 14,315 people

Bloomfield, CTCapitol Planning Region · 21,754 people

Orange, CTConnecticut · 14,315 people

Derby, CTConnecticut · 12,487 people

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bloomfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).

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	Bloomfield	Orange	Derby
Your priorities
People
Population	14,315	21,754Highest	14,315	12,487Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	—	+2.3%Highest CT: +0.9%	-4.5%Lowest CT: +0.9%
Median age	45.6±2.4Lowest 11% above CT	48.4±3.3Highest 18% above CT	45.6±2.4Lowest 11% above CT	46.4±3.1 13% above CT
	Bloomfield 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%	13.7%±2.1Lowest CT: 20.2%	22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%	14.6%±2.9 CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	23%±2.7 CT: 18.5%	27.3%±2.6Highest CT: 18.5%	23%±2.7 CT: 18.5%	21.1%±3.9Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Bloomfield 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%	40.8% CT: 42.5%	59.4%Highest CT: 42.5%	35.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1%	6.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%	5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.9%±2 CT: 7.1%
	Bloomfield 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±$10kHighest 49% above CT	$98,725±$14k 3% above CT	$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT	$79,500±$11kLowest 17% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT	$286,900±$11k 22% below CT	$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT	$256,700±$21kLowest 30% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT	$1,881±$175 26% above CT	$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT	$1,452±$95Lowest about the CT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,988Highest 35% above CT	$5,795 13% below CT	$8,988Highest 35% above CT	$5,510Lowest 17% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6%	52.6%±11.2Lowest CT: 52.6%	64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6%	53.9%±12.6 CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest CT: 10%	5.8% CT: 10%	3.9%Lowest CT: 10%	10.8%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.2%Highest CT: 66.5%	71.1% CT: 66.5%	89.2%Highest CT: 66.5%	61.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT	1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT	1967 same as CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above CT	23 minLowest 12% below CT	28 minHighest 4% above CT	27 min about the CT average
Work from home	15.6%±2.9 CT: 16%	18.2%±3.1Highest CT: 16%	15.6%±2.9 CT: 16%	15.1%±4.8Lowest CT: 16%
	Bloomfield 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	#139 of 149 in CT	#38 of 149 in CT	#138 of 149 in CT
School district	Orange School District · Regional School District 05	Bloomfield School District · Capitol Region Education Council	—	Derby School District
High school in town	None in town	Academy of International Studies 6-12	—	Derby High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.1Highest	—	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.