Compare towns
Orange vs Sandy Hook vs Sterling
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Sandy Hook has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k 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 | Sandy Hook | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315Highest |
9,863 |
3,629Lowest |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
43.1±3 5% above CT |
39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT |
| Orange and Sandy Hook 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% |
22.6%±4.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Sterling 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% |
14.4%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4% CT: 42.5% |
60.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Sandy Hook 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±$10k 49% above CT |
$160,814±$25kHighest 68% above CT |
$102,695±$12kLowest 7% above CT |
| Sandy Hook 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±$17k 34% above CT |
$501,200±$33kHighest 37% above CT |
$283,400±$17kLowest 23% below CT |
| Sandy Hook and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,866±$439Lowest 25% above CT |
— |
| Orange and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988 35% above CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$4,551Lowest 31% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
52.4%±26.6 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Sandy Hook 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% |
5.6% CT: 10% |
8.3%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2% CT: 66.5% |
92.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above CT |
35 min 33% above CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 149 in CT | — | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | — | Sterling School District |
| 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.