Compare towns
Orange vs Washington vs Brooklyn
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 highest household income ($142k).
Washington has the most expensive homes ($660k median).
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k 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 | Washington | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315Highest |
3,676Lowest |
8,517 |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Lowest 11% above CT |
49.9±5.5Highest 21% above CT |
45.6±2.5Lowest 11% above CT |
| Washington 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% |
19%±4.7Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Brooklyn 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% |
26.9%±5.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Washington 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% |
53.7% CT: 42.5% |
23.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
6.4%±3.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Washington and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$101,549±$16k 6% above CT |
$96,207±$15kLowest about the CT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17k 34% above CT |
$660,200±$130kHighest 80% above CT |
$315,200±$28kLowest 14% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,204±$264 19% below CT |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,709 29% below CT |
$4,538Lowest 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
26.1%±24Lowest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% CT: 10% |
9%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
79%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above CT |
26 minLowest 4% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
20.1%±9Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Washington 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 | #17 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Regional School District 12 | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Shepaug Valley School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.1 |
— |
| 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.