Compare towns
Orange vs Winchester vs Putnam
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).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% 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 | Winchester | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,315Highest |
10,284 |
9,292Lowest |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
| Winchester 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% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Putnam 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% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Winchester 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% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Orange and Winchester 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 |
$66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
$70,561±$7k 26% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
$269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,174±$116 21% below CT |
$1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,780 28% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8 CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Winchester 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% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
11.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
65.8% CT: 66.5% |
59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest 3 yrs older than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above CT |
26 min about the CT average |
25 minLowest 6% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northwestern Regional High School | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.7Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.