Compare towns
Burke vs Orange vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burke has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Shrewsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).
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 | Burke | Orange | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,317 |
7,573Highest |
1,237Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.8Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
42.3±5.6Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Shrewsbury and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shrewsbury and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Burke and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,143±$17k 8% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$91,250±$23kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Shrewsbury and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,600±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$331,900±$52k about the U.S. average |
| Burke and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $938±$191 34% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,438±$380Highest about the U.S. average |
| Shrewsbury and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,177 66% above U.S. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,350Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.6%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
71.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Burke and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 23.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Burke and Shrewsbury 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 | — |
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.