Compare towns
Winchester vs Orange vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k median).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Winchester | Orange | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,284Lowest |
14,315 |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
45.6±2.4 11% above CT |
44.3±1.5Lowest 8% above CT |
| Winchester and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Winchester and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$254,000±$14k 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$116 21% below CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,780Lowest 28% below CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±15.8 CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the CT average |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Orange and Plainville 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 | #97 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Northwestern Regional High School | None in town | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.