Orange, Connecticut | |
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Town of Orange | |
![]() Orange Town Hall | |
Coordinates: 41°16′46″N73°01′31″W / 41.27944°N 73.02528°W | |
Country | ![]() |
U.S. state | ![]() |
County | New Haven |
Region | South Central CT |
Incorporated | 1822 |
Government | |
• Type | Selectman-town meeting |
• First selectman | James M. Zeoli (R) |
• Selectmen | Ralph Okenquist (R) John Carangelo (R) Judy W. Williams (R) Connor Deane (D) Mitchell R. Goldblatt (D) |
Area | |
• Total | 17.4 sq mi (45.1 km2) |
• Land | 17.2 sq mi (44.5 km2) |
• Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2) |
Elevation | 213 ft (65 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 14,280 |
• Density | 820/sq mi (320/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
ZIP code | 06477 |
Area code(s) | 203/475 |
FIPS code | 09-57600 |
GNIS feature ID | 0213485 |
Website | www |
Orange is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 14,280 at the 2020 census. [1] The town is governed by a Board of Selectmen.
The Paugusset and Algonquian people previously inhabited the region that is now Orange. In 1639, Rev. Peter Prudden purchased the land from the Native Americans for six coats, ten blankets, one kettle, twelve hatchets, twelve hoes, two dozen knives and a dozen small mirrors. [2] When originally settled by English colonists, Orange was the northern and eastern district of the now neighboring city of Milford; however, by 1822, the population of the area had grown to the point where residents desired to form their own separate community, thus forming the town of Orange.
The town is named after William III of England, who was Prince of Orange from birth. [3] William is remembered for succeeding James II, deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. James II had been considered a despot in Connecticut; he had famously and unsuccessfully commissioned Edmund Andros to seize Connecticut's Charter. [4]
The town continued to grow throughout the 19th century. As early as 1848, a separation of Orange and West Haven was considered. It was not until 1921 that the two were officially separated by act of the Connecticut General Assembly and the new city of West Haven was formed out of the southeastern portion of Orange. [4] This left Orange a largely rural town, as the bulk of the urbanized population was ceded to West Haven. In the post-war years, however, Orange began suburbanizing at a rapid pace.
Early roads through the area included the Boston Post Road (now U.S. Route 1) and the Derby Turnpike (now Connecticut Route 34). The turnpike was originally an Indian path. A toll road through Orange, from New Haven to Derby, was built starting in 1800. The toll house was located in Orange; tolls ended in 1887. [5] The New Haven and Derby Railroad ran through Orange starting in 1871, with a station in Orange. At its peak, there were eleven trains per day in each direction along with one freight train. The advent of a trolley from New Haven to Derby (starting in 1904 and running until 1937) hastened the end to rail service (in 1925). [5] Later, the construction of the Wilbur Cross Parkway and Interstate 95 brought highways through the area.
Orange station is a planned stop on Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line. Construction has been on hold since late 2017.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.4 square miles (45.1 km2), of which 17.2 square miles (44.5 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km2), or 1.38%, is water. It is bordered on the south by Milford, on the east by West Haven, on the north by New Haven, Woodbridge and Derby and on the west by the Housatonic River and Shelton. The town limits include Wooster Island in the Housatonic River. The Wepawaug, Indian and Oyster rivers flow through the town.
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1830 | 1,341 | — |
1840 | 1,329 | −0.9% |
1850 | 1,476 | +11.1% |
1860 | 1,974 | +33.7% |
1870 | 2,634 | +33.4% |
1880 | 3,341 | +26.8% |
1890 | 4,537 | +35.8% |
1900 | 6,995 | +54.2% |
1910 | 11,272 | +61.1% |
1920 | 16,614 | +47.4% |
1930 [6] | 1,530 | −90.8% |
1940 | 2,009 | +31.3% |
1950 | 3,032 | +50.9% |
1960 | 8,547 | +181.9% |
1970 | 13,524 | +58.2% |
1980 | 13,237 | −2.1% |
1990 | 12,830 | −3.1% |
2000 | 13,233 | +3.1% |
2010 | 13,956 | +5.5% |
2020 | 14,280 | +2.3% |
As of the census of 2000, [7] there were 13,233 people, 4,739 households, and 3,895 families residing in the town. The population density was 770.0 inhabitants per square mile (297.3/km2). There were 4,870 housing units at an average density of 283.4 per square mile (109.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 94.08% White, 0.79% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 3.84% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population.
There were 4,739 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.1% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $79,365, and the median income for a family was $88,583. Males had a median income of $58,946 versus $41,563 for females. The per capita income for the town was $36,471. About 2.1% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over. [8]
Registration and party enrollment statistics as of October 26, 2010 [9] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Active voters | Inactive voters | Total voters | ||
Republican | 2,455 | 21 | 2,476 | ||
Democratic | 2,502 | 22 | 2,524 | ||
Unaffiliated | 5,172 | 44 | 5,216 | ||
Minor parties | 23 | 1 | 24 | ||
Total | 10,152 | 88 | 10,240 |
Orange is the home of the North American headquarters of Pez candies. [10] [11] It is also the home of the headquarters of Avangrid and its subsidiaries Southern Connecticut Gas [12] and The United Illuminating Company. [13]
Tangoe, Inc., a provider of telecommunications management software, was formerly headquartered in Orange. [14] Orange was the home of the US headquarters of Saab-Scania from 1972 until 1992 when the company relocated to Norcross, Georgia. [15] From 1973–2010, Hubbell, a manufacturer of electrical products, was headquartered in Orange. [16] In 2013, the University of New Haven purchased the former Hubbell headquarters buildings to redevelop as a graduate school campus. [17] Yale's West Campus is located on the Orange-West Haven town line, on a 136-acre property that was formerly occupied by Bayer. In 2013, the Yale School of Nursing relocated to a building on the Yale West Campus that is mostly on the Orange side of the town border. [18]
About three percent of the 17 square miles in the town is farmed. [19] Field View Farm, one of the oldest businesses in the United States, has been operated by the Hine family since 1639. [20] [21] Orange was also formerly home to the Everett B. Clark Seed Company which eventually joined forces with other local seed growers to form Asgrow, now a division of Bayer. [22]
The town has extensive retail development along the Boston Post Road corridor. [19]
During the Cold War, Orange was a location for the permanent deployment of Nike missiles for the defense of Greater New Haven. The former site of the Nike missiles has since (from the late 1950s onward) been the home of the 103rd Air Control and Warning Squadron, later to become the 103rd Tactical Control Squadron and as it remains today the 103rd Air Control Squadron, a part of the Connecticut Air National Guard. [23] [24]
Orange exhibits its rural roots at the annual Orange Country Fair. This event originally ran from 1898 to 1912 and was revived in 1975. It has continued since then featuring horse, oxen and tractor pulls as well as exhibits of animals, flowers, fruits, vegetables and baked goods. [25] In early August, the town also promotes the Orange Volunteer Fireman's Carnival, which raises funds to support the volunteer fire department. Both events are held at the fairgrounds at High Plains Community Center near the center of town.
Orange was the site of one of the earliest computer camps, [26] [27] held at the local Amity Jr. High School in 1977.
In the early nineteenth century, settlers from Orange founded Orange, Ohio, then part of Connecticut's Western Reserve.
On March 15–17, 2009, Orange hosted the 2009 ConnJam, a Boy Scout event in which over 3,000 Boy Scouts from the Connecticut Yankee Council attended events and camped over the weekend. [28] [29]
On August 18, 2005, the Orange Little League Girls softball team lost the championship game of the Little League Softball World Series to a team from McLean, Virginia. [33] [34]
Orange is served by the regional Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge. [35] Schools include:
Southern Connecticut Hebrew Academy (formerly New Haven Hebrew Day School) is located here.[ citation needed ]
New Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is the third largest city in Connecticut after Bridgeport and Stamford, the largest city in the South Central Connecticut Planning Region, and the principal municipality of Greater New Haven, which had a total population of 864,835 in 2020. Prior to 1960, it was the county seat of New Haven County until the county governments were abolished that year.
Fairfield County is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is the most populous county in the state and was also its fastest-growing from 2010 to 2020. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 957,419, representing 26.6% of Connecticut's overall population. The closest to the center of the New York metropolitan area, the county contains four of the state's top 7 largest cities—Bridgeport (1st), Stamford (2nd), Norwalk (6th), and Danbury (7th)—whose combined population of 433,368 is nearly half the county's total population.
New Haven County is a county in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2020 census, the population was 864,835, making it the third-most populous county in Connecticut. Two of the state's five largest cities, New Haven (3rd) and Waterbury (5th), are part of New Haven County.
Greenwich is a town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 63,518. Greenwich is a principal community of the Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk–Danbury metropolitan statistical area, which comprises all of Fairfield County, and is part of the Western Connecticut Planning Region. The town is the southwesternmost municipality in both the State of Connecticut and the six-state region of New England. The town is named after Greenwich, a royal borough of London in the United Kingdom.
Bethany is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 5,297 at the 2020 census.
Cheshire, formerly known as New Cheshire Parish, is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. At the time of the 2020 census, the population of Cheshire was 28,733. The town is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. The center of population of Connecticut is located in Cheshire.
Seymour is a town located in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. The population was 16,748 at the 2020 census. Seymour is bordered by the towns of Oxford and Beacon Falls to the north, Bethany and Woodbridge to the east, Ansonia and Derby to the south, and Shelton to the west.
Woodbridge is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 9,087 at the 2020 census. The town center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Woodbridge Green Historic District. Woodbridge is part of the Amity Regional School District #5, rated the #1 school district in New Haven County and the 10th best school district in CT by Niche in 2021. As of 2019 Woodbridge has the 7th highest median household income in CT.
Milford is a coastal city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, between New Haven and Bridgeport. The population was 50,558 at the 2020 United States Census. The city includes the village of Devon and the borough of Woodmont. Milford is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region and New York metropolitan area.
Ansonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. Located on the Naugatuck River, it is immediately north of Derby, and about 12 miles (19 km) northwest of New Haven. The city is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. The population was 18,918 at the time of the 2020 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is served by the Metro-North Railroad. Ansonia Station is a stop on the railroad passenger commuter service's Waterbury Branch connecting to New York's Grand Central Terminal. Ansonia also is served by the Connecticut Transit bus carrier. Connecticut Route 8 serves Ansonia.
Derby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, approximately 8 miles (13 km) west-northwest of New Haven. It is located in southwest Connecticut at the confluence of the Housatonic and Naugatuck rivers. It shares borders with the cities of Ansonia to the north and Shelton to the southwest, and the towns of Orange to the south, Seymour to the northwest, and Woodbridge to the east. The city is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. The population was 12,325 at the 2020 census. It is the smallest city in Connecticut by area, at 5.3 square miles (14 km2).
Shelton is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 40,869 at the 2020 United States Census. The city is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region.
Newington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Capitol Planning Region. Located 8 miles (13 km) south of downtown Hartford, Newington is an older, mainly residential suburb located in Greater Hartford. As of 2023, the population is 30,527. The Connecticut Department of Transportation has its headquarters in Newington.
East Haven is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 27,923. The town is located 3 miles (5 km) east of New Haven, and is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region. East Haven is 35 miles (56 km) from Hartford, 82 miles (132 km) from New York City, 99 miles (159 km) from Providence, Rhode Island, and 140 miles (230 km) from Boston.
West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located on the coast of Long Island Sound. The city is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region. At the 2020 census, the population of the city was 55,584.
Greater Hartford is a region located in the U.S. state of Connecticut, centered on the state's capital of Hartford. It represents the only combined statistical area in Connecticut defined by a city within the state, being bordered by the Greater Boston region to the northeast and New York metropolitan area to the south and west. Sitting at the southern end of the Metacomet Ridge, its geology is characterized by land of a level grade along the shores of Connecticut River Valley, with loamy, finer-grained soil than other regions in the state. Greater Hartford, had a total population of 1,213,531 at the 2020 United States census.
West Haven station is a commuter rail station on the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, located in West Haven, Connecticut. The station was built on Sawmill Road between Hood Terrace and Railroad Avenue, in the Elm Street-Wagner Place neighborhood. West Haven has 660 parking spaces in on-site lots as well as bicycle facilities. The station is accessible. West Haven has full service on the New Haven Line.
Amity High School is a regional public high school located in Woodbridge, Connecticut, United States. It provides high school education for the children in the towns of Woodbridge, Orange, and Bethany. The name Amity is derived from both the colonial history of Woodbridge as well as the "friendship" demonstrated among the three founding towns in arranging for a communal educational program.
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Island Sound, it is a port city 60 miles (97 km) from Manhattan and 40 miles (64 km) from The Bronx. It borders the towns of Trumbull to the north, Fairfield to the west, and Stratford to the east. Bridgeport and other towns in Fairfield County make up the Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, as well as the Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk–Danbury metropolitan statistical area, the second largest metropolitan area in Connecticut. The Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk–Danbury metropolis forms part of the New York metropolitan area.
Orange station is a planned commuter rail stop that would serve the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line in Orange, Connecticut. The station will be located at Marsh Hill Road and a new access road. In early 2017, the station was planned to open in fall 2021, but budget difficulties at the end of the year canceled the plan for the time being.