Compare towns
Orange vs Royalston vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Royalston has the highest household income ($102k).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Royalston | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,460Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
47.8±14.6Highest 20% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Royalston 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±10 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Royalston and Ware 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 MA: 47.3% |
28.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Royalston and Ware 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 46% below MA |
$102,109±$8kHighest about the MA average |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$346,300±$18kHighest 38% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,650±$412Highest 6% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 31% below MA |
$3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Royalston and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
38 minHighest 32% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.7%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Royalston 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 |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Athol-Royalston | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.