Compare towns
Orange vs Halifax 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).
Halifax has the most people working from home (13.9%).
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 | Halifax | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573Lowest |
7,748 |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest 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±4.7Highest 5% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Halifax 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% |
22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Halifax 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% |
36.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$118,556±$11kHighest 14% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$481,500±$51kHighest 14% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,804±$375Highest about the MA average |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 31% below MA |
$6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dudley and Halifax 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% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Halifax and Dudley 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Halifax | 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 |
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.