Compare towns
Orange vs Pittsfield vs Warwick 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
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 | Warwick | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
4,105 |
776Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
0% 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. |
51.4±7.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Warwick 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±6 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 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% |
23.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warwick 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1 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±$14k 8% below U.S. |
$93,333±$22kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Pittsfield 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±$30k 11% below U.S. |
$349,400±$34kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Pittsfield 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±$182 12% below U.S. |
$1,367±$163Highest 3% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Pittsfield 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. |
$4,380 40% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.5%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%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% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Warwick 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 | #93 of 120 in NH | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Pittsfield School District | Warwick | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Pittsfield High School | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.