Compare towns
Orange vs Brooklyn vs Plainfield vs Milford
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 highest household income ($142k).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Milford has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Brooklyn | Plainfield | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,315 |
8,517Lowest |
15,141 |
52,684Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | -1.4% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
45.6±2.5 11% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
46.6±1.4Highest 13% above CT |
| Milford 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% |
20.6%±4.6 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
17.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
22.1%±1.5 CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Milford 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% |
23.9% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
50.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield 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±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$96,207±$15k about the CT average |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$110,669±$7k 16% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$416,800±$9k 14% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,882±$80 26% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,538 32% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$6,694 about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
51.3%±7.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
5.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
75.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1965 2 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
27 min about the CT average |
25 minLowest 4% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
17.7%±1.8Highest CT: 16% |
| Milford 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #98 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Brooklyn School District | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Milford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Jonathan Law High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3Lowest |
10.8Highest |
| 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.