Compare towns
Preston vs Orange vs Brooklyn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Orange has the most people working from home (15.6%).
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 | Preston | Orange | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
14,315Highest |
8,517 |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
45.6±2.4Lowest 11% above CT |
45.6±2.5Lowest 11% above CT |
| Preston and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest 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%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
23.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Orange and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27k 22% above CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$96,207±$15kLowest about the CT average |
| Orange and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,900±$13k about the CT average |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$315,200±$28kLowest 14% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
| Orange and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749 29% below CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,538Lowest 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4% CT: 10% |
3.9%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
89.2% CT: 66.5% |
81.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
| Orange and Brooklyn 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.