Compare towns
Exeter vs Orange vs Thurman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the highest household income ($78k).
Orange has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.4%).
Thurman has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Exeter | Orange | Thurman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 913Lowest |
7,573Highest |
977 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±12.6 33% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
52.7±3.8Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Thurman and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±10.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thurman and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Thurman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,550±$19kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$58,750±$14k 27% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Thurman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$89k 27% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kHighest 26% below U.S. |
$197,400±$43kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Orange and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $867±$44 39% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$2,175±$599Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,926 6% below U.S. |
$4,136Highest 33% above U.S. |
$2,368Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.1%±77.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orange and Thurman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 9% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±8.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thurman and Exeter 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 | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — |
| High school in town | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — |
| 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.