What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orange has the most kids (22.9% under 18).

Madison has the most people working from home (30.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Orange	Madison
People
Population	14,315Lowest	17,616Highest
Median age	45.6±2.4Lowest 11% above CT	51.9±1.9Highest 26% above CT
Kids under 18	22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%	18.1%±2.2Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	23%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5%	25.2%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5%
	Madison 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%Lowest CT: 42.5%	72.4%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.9%±1.5Highest CT: 7.1%
	Madison 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±$10kLowest 49% above CT	$167,442±$16kHighest 75% above CT
	Madison 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±$17kLowest 34% above CT	$583,900±$30kHighest 59% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT	$2,025±$741Lowest 36% above CT
	Orange and Madison 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	$8,843Lowest 33% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6%	44%±12.3Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Orange and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.9%Highest CT: 10%	3.6%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.2%Lowest CT: 66.5%	90.4%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 4% above CT	30 minHighest 12% above CT
Work from home	15.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 16%	30.2%±5.3Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#38 of 149 in CT	#7 of 149 in CT
School district	Orange School District · Regional School District 05	Madison School District
High school in town	None in town	Daniel Hand High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.