Compare towns

Orange vs Prospect vs Willimantic

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 people working from home (15.6%).
Prospect has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).

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.

MeasureOrangeProspectWillimantic
People
Population
14,315
9,458Lowest
18,096Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — —
+2.3%
CT: +0.9%
Median age
45.6±2.4
11% above CT
46.8±3.9Highest
14% above CT
31.3±2.7Lowest
24% below CT
Prospect 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%
21.4%±4.1
CT: 20.2%
20.6%±2.5Lowest
CT: 20.2%
Orange and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
23%±2.7
CT: 18.5%
24.5%±4.3Highest
CT: 18.5%
11%±1.7Lowest
CT: 18.5%
Prospect and Orange 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%
40.3%
CT: 42.5%
24.2%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.5%±2
CT: 7.1%
3.5%±1.8Lowest
CT: 7.1%
19.1%±2.1Highest
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$142,325±$10kHighest
49% above CT
$126,394±$18k
32% above CT
$45,962±$7kLowest
52% below CT
Orange and Prospect 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
$355,400±$21k
3% below CT
$190,900±$17kLowest
48% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,172±$161Highest
46% above CT
$1,800±$433
21% above CT
$1,063±$68Lowest
29% below CT
Orange and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,988Highest
35% above CT
$6,504
about the CT average
$4,678Lowest
30% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
64%±12.1Highest
CT: 52.6%
45.3%±31.8Lowest
CT: 52.6%
55.9%±8.1
CT: 52.6%
Orange and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.9%
CT: 10%
3.2%Lowest
CT: 10%
23.4%Highest
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
89.2%
CT: 66.5%
93.5%Highest
CT: 66.5%
34.9%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1964
3 yrs older than CT
1974Highest
7 yrs newer than CT
1953Lowest
14 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
4% above CT
28 minHighest
4% above CT
23 minLowest
12% below CT
Work from home
15.6%±2.9Highest
CT: 16%
10.1%±3.2
CT: 16%
6.2%±2Lowest
CT: 16%
Orange and Prospect 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 #50 of 149 in CT —
School district Orange School District · Regional School District 05 Regional School District 16 —
High school in town None in town None in town —
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.