Compare towns
Orange vs Putney vs Wendell vs Dudley
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).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k median).
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 | Putney | Wendell | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
2,622 |
850Lowest |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
47.1±8.8Highest 21% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Wendell 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% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Dudley 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% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wendell 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% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Dudley and Putney 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. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$290,300±$31k 13% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233 45% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,239±$519Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Wendell and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 33% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$4,519 45% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell and Putney 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% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | — | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | New Salem-Wendell | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.