Compare towns
Orange vs Middlefield vs Winchendon
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).
Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).
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 | Middlefield | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
352Lowest |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% MA: +7.4% |
-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+0.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
28.7%±8.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Middlefield 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±4.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Winchendon and Middlefield 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 |
$103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average |
$75,690±$14k 27% below MA |
| Middlefield and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$332,800±$48kHighest 41% below MA |
$323,800±$19k 42% below MA |
| Middlefield and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,255±$163 29% below MA |
| Middlefield and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 31% below MA |
$4,926Highest 18% below MA |
$3,780Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
61.7%±17.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield 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 MA: 10% |
12.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
18.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
76.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±9.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Middlefield 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 | — | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | 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 → |
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.