Compare towns
Orange vs Madison 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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Madison has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Brookfield has the most renters (13.5% 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 | Madison | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315Lowest |
17,616 |
17,706Highest |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
51.9±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
44.3±1.8Lowest 8% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest 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% |
25.2%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8Lowest 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% CT: 42.5% |
72.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
58.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$148,360±$11k 55% above CT |
| Madison and Brookfield 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 |
$583,900±$30kHighest 59% above CT |
$479,700±$24kLowest 31% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$2,025±$741 36% above CT |
$1,892±$183Lowest 27% 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 |
$8,843 33% above CT |
$7,594Lowest 14% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
44%±12.3 CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest 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% CT: 10% |
3.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2% CT: 66.5% |
90.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Lowest 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 |
30 minHighest 12% above CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
30.2%±5.3Highest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 149 in CT | #7 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Madison School District | Brookfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Daniel Hand High School | Brookfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| 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.