Compare towns
Orange vs Cornish vs Winchendon
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).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Winchendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
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 | Cornish | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,816Lowest |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Winchendon 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% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish 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% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Winchendon and Cornish 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. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Cornish 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. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Winchendon 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornish and Winchendon 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 | — | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Cornish School District | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.