Compare towns
Chester vs Orange vs Erving
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the highest household income ($89k).
Orange has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.4%).
Erving has the shortest commute (28 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 | Chester | Orange | Erving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,240Lowest |
7,573Highest |
1,703 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.7Highest 15% above MA |
41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
43.3±2.4 8% above MA |
| Chester and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Erving and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Erving and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,390±$6kHighest 14% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$77,656±$9k 25% below MA |
| Chester and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,900±$14kHighest 50% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$271,800±$20k 52% below MA |
| Chester and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$71 37% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,163±$213Highest 34% below MA |
| Erving and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,522Highest 25% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±22.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±23 MA: 51.8% |
| Chester and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 7%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Chester and Orange 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 | Gateway | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Erving |
| 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 |
MA 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.