Compare towns
Orange vs Springfield 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 homeowners (70%).
Springfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Springfield | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
154,749Highest |
6,369Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Highest 4% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
39.8±6 about the MA average |
| Orange and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Orange 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% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kHighest 46% below MA |
$52,656±$2k 49% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
| Orange and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18k 56% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$253,400±$31kHighest 55% below MA |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,144±$55Highest 35% below MA |
$1,039±$104 41% below MA |
| Springfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Highest 31% below MA |
$3,695 38% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.4% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
14.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
27 min 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #275 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Springfield | — |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Springfield Central High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.2Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.