Compare towns
Orange vs Willington vs Canton vs Brookfield
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 homeowners (89.2%).
Willington has the most renters (36% rent).
Canton has the most people working from home (24.8%).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($148k).
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 | Willington | Canton | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,315 |
5,575Lowest |
10,144 |
17,706Highest |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
37.5±7.2Lowest 9% below CT |
45.3±5.2 10% above CT |
44.3±1.8 8% above CT |
| Orange and Canton 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% |
12.8%±4.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.6%±4 CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Brookfield 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% |
23.3%±6.4 CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Canton and Willington 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% |
33.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
57.2% CT: 42.5% |
58.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
14.6%±6.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
2.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
$91,114±$12kLowest 5% below CT |
$117,991±$20k 23% above CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
| Brookfield and Orange 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 |
$305,800±$48kLowest 17% below CT |
$395,300±$24k 8% above CT |
$479,700±$24k 31% above CT |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,357±$116Lowest 9% below CT |
$1,403±$358 6% below CT |
$1,892±$183 27% above CT |
| Orange and Brookfield 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 |
$5,419Lowest 18% below CT |
$7,232 9% above CT |
$7,594 14% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
70%±20.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
59.9%±28.9 CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Willington and Orange 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% |
13%Highest CT: 10% |
5.7% CT: 10% |
4.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
64%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
83.7% CT: 66.5% |
86.5% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above CT |
26 minLowest about the CT average |
29 minHighest 9% above CT |
28 min 6% above CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest CT: 16% |
24.8%±6.1Highest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
| Canton and Brookfield 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 | #104 of 149 in CT | #22 of 149 in CT | #67 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Willington School District | Canton School District | Brookfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Canton High School | Brookfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.6Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| 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.