Compare towns
Orange vs Mansfield vs Monroe
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 oldest population (median age 45.6).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Monroe has the highest household income ($157k).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Mansfield | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315Lowest |
25,358Highest |
18,949 |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
43.5±2.2 6% above CT |
| Orange and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
25.2%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Monroe and Orange 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% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
15.6%±2 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
57.9% CT: 42.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.1%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$157,250±$12kHighest 64% above CT |
| Monroe 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±$17k 34% above CT |
$335,400±$20kLowest 9% below CT |
$503,200±$31kHighest 37% above CT |
| Monroe and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$994±$860Lowest 33% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988 35% above CT |
$5,727Lowest 14% below CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
48.8%±46.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
2.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
95.7%Highest 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 min 4% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
34 minHighest 29% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
15.4%±3.3Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #48 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Monroe School District |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Masuk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.