Compare towns
Orange vs Pembroke 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).
Pembroke has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Pembroke | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573Lowest |
18,382Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Pembroke and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Pembroke 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% |
19.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
44.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Pembroke and Ware 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 |
$146,285±$17kHighest 41% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$586,500±$28kHighest 4% above MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,585Highest 10% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42.1%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Pembroke and Ware 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 | #82 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Pembroke | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Pembroke High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.3Highest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.