Compare towns
Orange vs Barre vs Ware
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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Barre has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Barre | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573Lowest |
8,412 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Ware and Barre 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% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Ware 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% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Orange 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% |
36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Barre 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. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kHighest 16% below U.S. |
| Ware and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Ware and Orange 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. |
$1,093±$58Highest 23% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Barre and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Barre 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Spaulding Union High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
10.7 |
11.1Highest |
| 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.