What stands out worked out from the figures below

West Haven has the most renters (49.4% rent).

Orange has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	West Haven	Orange
People
Population	55,351Highest	14,315Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0%Lowest CT: +0.9%	+2.3%Highest CT: +0.9%
Median age	35.8±1.5Lowest 13% below CT	45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT
Kids under 18	20.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 20.2%	22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2%
	Orange and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5%	23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.5%Lowest CT: 42.5%	59.4%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1%	5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,382±$5kLowest 22% below CT	$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$291,700±$9kLowest 20% below CT	$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,442±$43Lowest 3% below CT	$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,941Lowest 4% above CT	$8,988Highest 35% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±5.8Lowest CT: 52.6%	64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6%
	Orange and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.1%Highest CT: 10%	3.9%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%	89.2%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT	1964Highest 3 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 14% below CT	28 minHighest 4% above CT
Work from home	9.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 16%	15.6%±2.9Highest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#120 of 149 in CT	#38 of 149 in CT
School district	New Haven School District · West Haven School District	—
High school in town	West Haven High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	15.6	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.