Compare towns
Orange vs North Haven vs Plainfield
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 expensive homes ($492k median).
North Haven has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | North Haven | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315Lowest |
24,336Highest |
15,141 |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
45.7±1.3Highest 11% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
| North Haven 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% |
21.5%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and North Haven 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% |
22.3%±2.1 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and North Haven 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% |
46.5% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest 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 |
$132,689±$7k 39% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
| Orange and North Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$393,200±$15k 7% above CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,720±$127 16% above CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$6,964 5% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
45.2%±10 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and North Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.1% CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.3% CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above CT |
22 minLowest 18% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
14.9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Orange and North Haven 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 | #84 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Area Cooperative Educational Services · North Haven School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Haven High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.