Compare towns
Orange vs Plainfield vs Warwick 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 renters (30% rent).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
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 | Plainfield | Warwick | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573Highest |
2,522 |
776Lowest |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.4±7.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
| Warwick and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Orange 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% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warwick and Wendell 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% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wendell and Plainfield 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$93,333±$22k 16% above U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Warwick 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. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$349,400±$34k 5% above U.S. |
$290,300±$31k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,367±$163 3% below U.S. |
$1,239±$519 12% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Warwick 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. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,380 40% above U.S. |
$4,519 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±57.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell and Orange 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Warwick and Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Plainfield School District | Warwick | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — | — |
| 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.