Compare towns
Orange vs Mendon vs Wendell vs Ware
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).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Mendon | Wendell | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
6,325 |
850Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
47.1±8.8Highest 18% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Wendell and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Wendell 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 MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
51.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
$65,288±$14k 37% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$290,300±$31k 48% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,239±$519 30% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Mendon and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$4,519 25% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Ware 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% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
21.3% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Wendell and Mendon 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Mendon-Upton | New Salem-Wendell | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.