Compare towns
Orange vs Randolph vs Ware 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).
Randolph has the most people working from home (19.5%).
Ware has the oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Dudley has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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 | Randolph | Ware | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
420Lowest |
10,048 |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
57.5±10.9Highest 48% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Randolph 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% |
14.5%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±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% |
31.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$101,750±$16kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Randolph and Dudley 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. |
$407,000±$57kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
| Randolph and Dudley 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. |
$1,667±$215Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 33% above U.S. |
$4,269Highest 37% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±53.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Randolph 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% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 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. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Randolph 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | Ware | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.1 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.