Compare towns
Orange vs Dover vs Ware 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).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Ware has the oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Winchendon has the highest household income ($76k).
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 | Dover | Ware | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,466Lowest |
10,048 |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Dover and Ware 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% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 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% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Ware 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% |
48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winchendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10k 31% below U.S. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14kHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Ware 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. |
$332,900±$55kHighest about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Dover and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233 45% below U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Ware 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. |
$4,510Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon 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% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Ware 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Ware | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.1 |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.