Compare towns
Orange vs Chicopee vs Warren vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Chicopee has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Warren has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Chicopee | Warren | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
55,295Highest |
5,009Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+0.5% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Chicopee and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Chicopee 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 MA: 47.3% |
22.9% MA: 47.3% |
23.2% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
$66,082±$6k 36% below MA |
$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$890±$174 49% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 31% below MA |
$3,847 36% below MA |
$4,530Highest 24% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Chicopee and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
17.3% MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
64.5% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
21 minLowest 27% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Dudley and Warren 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 | #247 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Chicopee | Quaboag Regional | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Quaboag Regional High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.2 |
10.0 |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.