Compare towns
Orange vs Andover vs Ripton vs Dudley
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 affordable homes ($246k median).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Dudley has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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 | Andover | Ripton | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
616 |
508Lowest |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Andover and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ripton and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$382,900±$68k 15% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,389±$364Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Andover and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 33% above U.S. |
$5,190Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Ripton 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Ripton 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 | — | — | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 14.3Highest |
| 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.