Compare towns
Orange vs Plainfield vs East Brooklyn
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 highest household income ($142k).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
East Brooklyn has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Plainfield | East Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315 |
15,141Highest |
2,377Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +34.6% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
46.2±12.2Highest 12% above CT |
| East Brooklyn 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% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20%±5.7 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and East Brooklyn 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% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
15%±4.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15% CT: 42.5% |
11.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±2.7Lowest 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 |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$73,698±$29kLowest 23% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$295,400±$63k 19% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,061±$474Lowest 29% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
$3,747Lowest 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51.5%±35.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and East Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1973Highest 6 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
25 minLowest 5% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
1.9%±2.2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Orange and Plainfield 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Plainfield School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
— |
| 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.