Compare towns
Orange vs Sandgate vs Wheelock vs Wendell
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 renters (30% rent).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Wheelock has the most homeowners (97.9%).
Wendell has the most expensive homes ($290k 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.
| Measure | Orange | Sandgate | Wheelock | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573Highest |
435Lowest |
717 |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
51±5.6 31% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and Wheelock 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% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Wheelock 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% |
26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wheelock and Sandgate 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% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wendell and Wheelock 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. |
$69,167±$19kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$64,792±$20k 20% below U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Sandgate and Wendell 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. |
$193,800±$31k 42% below U.S. |
$189,600±$37kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$290,300±$31kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Wendell and Orange 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. |
— | — | $1,239±$519Highest 12% below U.S. |
| Wendell and Orange 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. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$2,937 6% below U.S. |
$4,519Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell 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% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.1%±16 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Wheelock 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 | — | — | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — | — |
| 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.