Compare towns
Orange vs Middlesex vs Ware vs Wendell
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 affordable homes ($246k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Ware has the oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Middlesex | Ware | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,943 |
10,048Highest |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Wendell and Middlesex 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% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wendell and Middlesex 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% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex 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 31% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$290,300±$31k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,239±$519 12% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,519 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Wendell 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Wendell 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Ware | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.