Compare towns
Orange vs Ripton vs Worcester
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).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Ripton | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573Highest |
508Lowest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Worcester 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
— | $1,023±$136Highest 28% below U.S. |
| Worcester and Orange 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. |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton 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% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Ripton 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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.