Compare towns
Halifax vs Orange vs Westminster vs Newark
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Orange has the most renters (30% rent).
Westminster has the most expensive homes ($314k median).
Newark has the most affordable homes ($230k median).
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 | Halifax | Orange | Westminster | Newark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 847 |
7,573Highest |
497Lowest |
727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
43.3±11.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.4±6 6% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Halifax and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westminster and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,889±$7k 21% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$81,000±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$72,929±$7k 10% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,500±$21k 20% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$313,600±$39kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$229,900±$23kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$154 38% below U.S. |
$775±$233 45% below U.S. |
$749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,708±$97Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
$4,480 44% above U.S. |
$3,771Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
7.1%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 13% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±8.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Halifax School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| 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 | 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.