Compare towns
Orange vs Sunapee vs Ware
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).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Sunapee | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
3,416Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Ware 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% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee 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 31% below U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,400Highest 41% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Sunapee 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 | #14 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Sunapee School District | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Sunapee Sr. High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.9Highest |
11.1 |
| 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.