Compare towns
Willington vs Orange vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willington has the most renters (36% rent).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k median).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k 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 | Willington | Orange | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,575Lowest |
14,315Highest |
7,492 |
| Median age | 37.5±7.2Lowest 9% below CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
41.5±7.7 about the CT average |
| Orange and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±4.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±6.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Willington and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.6%±6.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,114±$12kLowest 5% below CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$103,218±$15k 8% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,800±$48k 17% below CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$282,600±$23kLowest 23% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,357±$116 9% below CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,419Lowest 18% below CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$5,915 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70%±20.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1 CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Willington and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest CT: 10% |
3.9% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the CT average |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.7 CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Orange and Willington 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 | #104 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Willington School District | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.