Compare towns
West Haven vs Suffield vs Orange vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Haven has the most renters (49.4% rent).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k median).
Manchester has the most affordable homes ($247k 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 | West Haven | Suffield | Orange | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,351 |
15,702 |
14,315Lowest |
59,635Highest |
| 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 |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
37±1.2 10% below CT |
| Orange and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±1.9 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
20%±1.6 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%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±0.7 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,382±$5kLowest 22% below CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$86,840±$4k 9% below CT |
| Orange and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $291,700±$9k 20% below CT |
$407,500±$26k 11% above CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,442±$43 3% below CT |
$1,424±$141Lowest 4% below CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,519±$66 about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,941 4% above CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$5,652Lowest 15% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.8 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
48.1%±6.1Lowest 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% |
4.6% CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.8% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7% CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
56.9% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1962 5 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
23 minLowest 15% below CT |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Orange 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 | #120 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #135 of 149 in CT |
| School district | New Haven School District · West Haven School District | Suffield School District | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District |
| High school in town | West Haven High School | Suffield High School | — | Manchester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.6Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.