Compare towns
Orange vs Springfield vs Ware vs Warwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Ware has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
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 | Springfield | Ware | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
154,749Highest |
6,369 |
776Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
0% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
39.8±6 about the MA average |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest 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%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Warwick 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% MA: 47.3% |
20.5% MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Highest 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% |
2.4%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10k 46% below MA |
$52,656±$2k 49% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$93,333±$22kHighest 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18k 56% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$349,400±$34kHighest 38% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
$1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,367±$163Highest 22% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 31% below MA |
$3,695 38% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
27 min 9% below MA |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Warwick and Ware 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Springfield | — | Warwick |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Springfield Central High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.2Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.