Compare towns
Orange vs Thomaston vs Suffield
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).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
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 | Thomaston | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315 |
7,492Lowest |
15,702Highest |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
41.5±7.7Lowest about the CT average |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
| 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% |
20.5%±5.2 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest 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% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest 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% |
34%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$103,218±$15kLowest 8% above CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% 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 |
$282,600±$23kLowest 23% below CT |
$407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$5,915Lowest 11% below CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Lowest 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% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.6%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
26 minLowest 3% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest 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 | #106 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Thomaston School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Thomaston High School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
10.9Highest |
| 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.