Compare towns
Andover vs Orange vs Ware vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Ware has the oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Brookline has the most homeowners (84.9%).
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 | Andover | Orange | Ware | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616 |
7,573 |
10,048Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Andover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Andover and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,500±$38kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Andover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,900±$68kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
| Andover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,389±$364 about the U.S. average |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,190Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Brookline 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Ware | — |
| High school in town | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.