Compare towns
Orange vs Sprague vs West Haven
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%).
Sprague has the oldest population (median age 48.5).
West Haven has the most renters (49.4% 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.
| Measure | Orange | Sprague | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315 |
2,962Lowest |
55,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | 0% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
48.5±10.7Highest 18% above CT |
35.8±1.5Lowest 13% below CT |
| Sprague 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% |
17.1%±5.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±1.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and West Haven 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% |
19.9%±3.9 CT: 18.5% |
16%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Sprague 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% |
19.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$92,850±$11k 3% below CT |
$74,382±$5kLowest 22% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$273,500±$17kLowest 25% below CT |
$291,700±$9k 20% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,247±$144Lowest 16% below CT |
$1,442±$43 3% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,668Lowest 30% below CT |
$6,941 4% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
26.9%±12.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±5.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and West Haven 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% |
8.1% CT: 10% |
14.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.2% CT: 66.5% |
50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest 3 yrs older than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
30 minHighest 12% above CT |
23 minLowest 14% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
5%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
9.2%±1.4 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 149 in CT | #141 of 149 in CT | #120 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Sprague School District | New Haven School District · West Haven School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | West Haven High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 15.6 |
| 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.