Compare towns
Tolland vs Orange vs Ellington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Tolland has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k median).
Ellington has the most renters (27.8% 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 | Tolland | Orange | Ellington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,606 |
14,315Lowest |
16,455Highest |
| Median age | 41.4±2.5 about the CT average |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
40.9±2.4Lowest about the CT average |
| Orange and Tolland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
24%±3.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Ellington and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.3%±2.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.2% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
51.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±2.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6%±2.2 CT: 7.1% |
| Tolland and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,264±$16k 39% above CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$129,913±$17kLowest 36% above CT |
| Orange and Tolland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,500±$21kLowest about the CT average |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$366,900±$17k about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$119Lowest 13% above CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,737±$212 17% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,403 11% above CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$6,751Lowest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.5%±62.4Highest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
45.5%±10.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Tolland and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Highest CT: 10% |
3.9% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
89.2% CT: 66.5% |
72.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 14 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above CT |
28 minLowest 4% above CT |
31 min 18% above CT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±3.6Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±3.9 CT: 16% |
| Tolland and Ellington 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 | #60 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #46 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Tolland School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Ellington School District |
| High school in town | Tolland High School | None in town | Ellington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.