Compare towns
Orange vs Suffield vs Thomaston
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%).
Thomaston 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 | Suffield | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315 |
15,702Highest |
7,492Lowest |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
41.5±7.7Lowest about the CT average |
| Orange and Suffield 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% |
20.5%±5.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Thomaston 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% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Thomaston 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% |
34%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$103,218±$15kLowest 8% above CT |
| Orange and Suffield 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 |
$282,600±$23kLowest 23% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$5,915Lowest 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Thomaston 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%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
77.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above CT |
26 minLowest 3% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest 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 | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Suffield School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.