Compare towns
Orange vs Lunenburg 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).
Lunenburg has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Lunenburg | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,267Lowest |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
51.2±4.2Highest 32% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±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%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lunenburg 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winchendon and Lunenburg 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. |
$53,125±$9kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14kHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Orange 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. |
$164,000±$11kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,025±$172 27% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Highest 33% above U.S. |
$2,702Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$3,780 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±57.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Winchendon and Lunenburg 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% |
10.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.9%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Winchendon and Orange 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | 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.