Compare towns
Orange vs Jay 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 renters (30% rent).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Winchendon has the most expensive homes ($324k median).
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 | Jay | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
471Lowest |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Jay 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest 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%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Winchendon 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% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$74,792±$25k 7% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14kHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Jay 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. |
$234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
— | $1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,780 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest 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% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay 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 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary 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 | 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.