Compare towns
Orange vs Suffield vs Prospect 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 expensive homes ($492k median).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Prospect has the most homeowners (93.5%).
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 | Suffield | Prospect | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,315 |
15,702 |
9,458Lowest |
55,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | 0% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
46.8±3.9Highest 14% above CT |
35.8±1.5Lowest 13% 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% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.4%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±1.9 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% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
24.5%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
16%±1.3Lowest 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% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
40.3% CT: 42.5% |
30.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
3.5%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$126,394±$18k 32% above CT |
$74,382±$5kLowest 22% 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 |
$407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
$355,400±$21k 3% below CT |
$291,700±$9kLowest 20% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,424±$141Lowest 4% below CT |
$1,800±$433 21% above CT |
$1,442±$43 3% 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 |
$6,456Lowest about the CT average |
$6,504 about the CT average |
$6,941 4% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
45.3%±31.8Lowest 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% CT: 10% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
3.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
14.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2% CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
93.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
23 minLowest 14% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
10.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
9.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Orange 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #50 of 149 in CT | #120 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Suffield School District | Regional School District 16 | New Haven School District · West Haven School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | None in town | West Haven High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Lowest |
— | 15.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.