Compare towns
Belvidere vs Orange vs Ware vs Montgomery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belvidere has the highest household income ($82k).
Orange has the most renters (30% rent).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Montgomery has the most people working from home (16%).
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 | Belvidere | Orange | Ware | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 422Lowest |
7,573 |
10,048Highest |
1,047 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
51.5±11.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Montgomery and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 8.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,563±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$55,824±$10k 31% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Belvidere and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $239,200±$51kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$323,200±$45kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Montgomery and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,542±$1kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$868±$209 39% below U.S. |
| Belvidere and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,326Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±53.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.6%±68Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montgomery and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
37 min 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Montgomery and Ware 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| 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.