Compare towns
Orange vs Douglas vs Upton vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most homeowners (89.2%).
Douglas has the most renters (16.2% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k 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 | Orange | Douglas | Upton | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,315 |
9,207 |
8,189Lowest |
17,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.4 17% above U.S. |
44±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.3±1.8 14% above U.S. |
| Upton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,325±$10kLowest 76% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$148,360±$11k 84% above U.S. |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $491,500±$17k 48% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$479,700±$24k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,892±$183 34% above U.S. |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$6,338Lowest 103% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$7,594 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.9%±13.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orange and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Douglas 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 | #38 of 149 in CT | #177 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #67 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Brookfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | Blackstone Valley | Brookfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.2 |
12.7Highest |
| 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.