Compare towns
Orange vs Plainfield vs Thomaston
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).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Thomaston has the oldest housing (typical home built 1961).
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 | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315 |
15,141Highest |
7,492Lowest |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
41.5±7.7 about the CT average |
| Orange and Thomaston 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%±5.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Thomaston 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%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Thomaston 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% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1Lowest 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±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$103,218±$15k 8% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$282,600±$23k 23% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$5,915 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Thomaston 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% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest 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 | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Plainfield School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.