Compare towns
Orange vs Northbridge vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most homeowners (89.2%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($148k).
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 | Northbridge | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315Lowest |
16,458 |
17,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
44.3±1.8 14% above U.S. |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Brookfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10k 76% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$148,360±$11kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Brookfield 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±$17kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$479,700±$24k 44% above U.S. |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,892±$183 34% above U.S. |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$7,594 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orange and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #67 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Northbridge | Brookfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Brookfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.