Compare towns
Newark vs Orange vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newark has the highest household income ($73k).
Orange has the most renters (30% rent).
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Newark | Orange | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 727Lowest |
7,573Highest |
847 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±6 6% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Highest 7% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Orange and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Highest 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+ | 41% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,929±$7kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$63,889±$7k 21% below U.S. |
| Newark and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,900±$23kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$267,500±$21kHighest 20% below U.S. |
| Halifax and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,708±$97Highest 21% above U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$875±$154 38% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,771Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
$4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.1%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest 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 | 22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.8%±8.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Newark 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Halifax School District |
| 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 |
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.