Compare towns
Orange vs Pittsfield vs Ware
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).
Pittsfield has the highest household income ($74k).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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 | Pittsfield | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
4,105Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
41.5±5.1Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Ware and Orange 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% |
20.8%±6 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Pittsfield 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% |
18.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pittsfield 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 31% below U.S. |
$74,318±$14kHighest 8% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Pittsfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$294,800±$30kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Pittsfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,239±$182Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Pittsfield and Ware 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. |
$5,694Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.5%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pittsfield 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Pittsfield 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 | #93 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Pittsfield School District | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Pittsfield High School | 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 |
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.