Compare towns
Orange vs Middlesex vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($303k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Sharon has the most expensive homes ($476k 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 | Middlesex | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
1,943Highest |
442 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
49.4±11.2Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,750±$39kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kLowest 36% above U.S. |
$113,125±$19k 40% above U.S. |
| Orange and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,600±$35kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$475,900±$38kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,458±$1kHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132Lowest 65% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$8,274Highest 165% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.6%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sharon and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.