Compare towns
Harvard vs Orange vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Orange has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Shirley has the most renters (22.6% rent).
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 | Harvard | Orange | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,927Lowest |
14,315Highest |
6,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7Lowest 13% above U.S. |
45.6±2.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.3±3.4 14% above U.S. |
| Orange and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shirley and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$142,325±$10k 76% above U.S. |
$122,365±$16kLowest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$491,500±$17k 48% above U.S. |
$427,600±$36kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,481±$421 5% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,988 188% above U.S. |
$5,156Lowest 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±12.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #12 of 282 in MA | #38 of 149 in CT | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.