Compare towns
Orange vs Lyme 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 most kids (22.9% under 18).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Milford has the most affordable homes ($417k median).
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 | Lyme | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315 |
2,303Lowest |
52,684Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -1.4% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Lowest 11% above CT |
55.6±3.3Highest 35% above CT |
46.6±1.4 13% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
17.2%±1.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
30.7%±4.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
22.1%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4% CT: 42.5% |
63.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
50.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5%±0.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Orange and Milford 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 |
$135,000±$22k 41% above CT |
$110,669±$7kLowest 16% above CT |
| Orange and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17k 34% above CT |
$629,900±$105kHighest 72% above CT |
$416,800±$9kLowest 14% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,719±$1kLowest 16% above CT |
$1,882±$80 26% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$7,328 10% above CT |
$6,694Lowest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
32.9%±44.3Lowest 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% |
2.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
5.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2% CT: 66.5% |
90.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
75.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1967Highest same as CT |
1965 2 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
25 minLowest 4% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
27.6%±10Highest CT: 16% |
17.7%±1.8 CT: 16% |
| Lyme and Milford 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 | — | #98 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Regional School District 18 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Milford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Jonathan Law High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.8 |
| 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.