Compare towns
Orange vs Sandy Hook vs Tolland
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 highest household income ($161k).
Tolland has the most affordable homes ($366k 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 | Tolland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315 |
9,863Lowest |
14,606Highest |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
43.1±3 5% above CT |
41.4±2.5Lowest about the CT average |
| 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% |
22.6%±3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Sandy Hook 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%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
15.3%±2.1 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4% CT: 42.5% |
60.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
56.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
7.4%±2.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Tolland and Sandy Hook 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 |
$133,264±$16kLowest 39% 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 |
$365,500±$21kLowest about the CT average |
| 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±$439 25% above CT |
$1,680±$119Lowest 13% 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 |
$7,403Lowest 11% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
52.4%±26.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
73.5%±62.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Tolland and Orange 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%Highest CT: 10% |
5.3% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
92.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
90.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1981Highest 14 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above CT |
35 minHighest 33% above CT |
32 min 20% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
20.6%±3.6 CT: 16% |
| Sandy Hook and Tolland 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 | — | #60 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | — | Tolland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Tolland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
| 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.