Compare towns
Plainville vs Orange vs Farmington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Orange has the most homeowners (89.2%).
Farmington has the most people working from home (22.1%).
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 | Plainville | Orange | Farmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551 |
14,315Lowest |
27,134Highest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
43.5±1.4Lowest 6% above CT |
| Orange and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.9%±2.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Farmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.4%±1.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Farmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
59.4% CT: 42.5% |
68.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.6%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Farmington and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$141,120±$10k 47% above CT |
| Orange and Farmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$432,700±$14k 18% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,807±$82 21% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$6,771 about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
51.1%±7.5 CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Farmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Highest CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
4.2% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
74.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1980Highest 13 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
24 min 10% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
22.1%±2.8Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #12 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Farmington School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | None in town | Farmington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.