Compare towns
Hancock vs Orange vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
New Braintree has the most expensive homes ($409k 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 | Hancock | Orange | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 752Lowest |
7,573Highest |
973 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±11.1 18% above MA |
41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
| New Braintree and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Hancock and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Hancock and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,250±$26k 7% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$99,500±$8kHighest 4% below MA |
| New Braintree and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $375,500±$21k 33% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$408,800±$27kHighest 27% below MA |
| New Braintree and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,268±$415 28% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
| New Braintree and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,018Lowest 83% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±36.3 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Braintree and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.6% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1987 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 25% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Hancock and New Braintree 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 | Hancock | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Quabbin |
| 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.