Compare towns
Willimantic vs Stepney vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
Stepney has the highest household income ($154k).
Orange has the most people working from home (15.6%).
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 | Willimantic | Stepney | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,096Highest |
3,979Lowest |
14,315 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
47.1±5.6Highest 15% above CT |
45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
| Stepney and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±2.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.1%±5.6 CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Stepney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.7%±4.1 CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Stepney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
54.2% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±5.4 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$153,966±$16kHighest 61% above CT |
$142,325±$10k 49% above CT |
| Stepney and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$475,800±$53k 30% above CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
| Orange and Stepney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$2,750±$1kHighest 85% above CT |
$2,172±$161 46% above CT |
| Stepney and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$9,309Highest 40% above CT |
$8,988 35% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
63.2%±48.8 CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Stepney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
0.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
3.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
96.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
89.2% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below CT |
37 minHighest 41% above CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
9.8%±4.3 CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
| Orange and Stepney 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 | — | — | #38 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | — | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 |
| High school 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.