Compare towns

Orange vs Randolph 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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Randolph has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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.

MeasureOrangeRandolphDudley
People
Population
7,573
2,007Lowest
11,929Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.8±2.2
7% above U.S.
50.5±7.7Highest
30% above U.S.
40.2±2.4Lowest
3% above U.S.
Randolph 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%
11%±5Lowest
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%
24.2%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.9%±3Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Randolph 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%
42.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
24.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
7.3%±4.7
U.S.: 6.4%
13.1%±2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Dudley and Randolph 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.
$75,069±$11k
7% below U.S.
$84,604±$12kHighest
5% above U.S.
Dudley and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$245,900±$18k
26% below U.S.
$235,400±$25kLowest
29% below U.S.
$392,600±$19kHighest
18% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$775±$233Lowest
45% below U.S.
$1,095±$198
23% below U.S.
$1,217±$182Highest
14% below U.S.
Dudley and Randolph 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.
$4,507Highest
45% above U.S.
$3,691Lowest
18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
41%±11.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
54.3%±20.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
47.4%±4.1
U.S.: 51.1%
Randolph and Dudley 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%
14.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
70%
U.S.: 65.2%
53.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1966
14 yrs older than U.S.
1942Lowest
38 yrs older than U.S.
1967Highest
13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
24% above U.S.
18 minLowest
32% below U.S.
27 min
4% above U.S.
Work from home
6.6%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.7%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.1%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Randolph and Dudley 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 #55 of 70 in VT #142 of 282 in MA
School district Orange · Ralph C Mahar — Dudley-Charlton Reg
High school in town Ralph C Mahar Regional — Shepherd Hill Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school
9.0Lowest
—
14.3Highest
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.