Compare towns
Orange vs Reading vs Warwick
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).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Warwick has the highest household income ($93k).
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 | Reading | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573Highest |
699Lowest |
776 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
51.4±7.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Warwick and Reading 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% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Warwick 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Reading and Warwick 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. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$93,333±$22kHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Warwick and Reading 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. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$349,400±$34k 5% above U.S. |
| Reading and Warwick 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. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,367±$163Highest 3% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Reading 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. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,380 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading 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% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 24% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Warwick 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 | — | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Warwick |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | 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 |
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.