Compare towns
Orange vs Sunapee vs Ware 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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
3,416 |
10,048Highest |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%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. |
47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Wendell 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% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16%±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% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Wendell 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% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wendell and Sunapee 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. |
$65,288±$14k 19% 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. |
$290,300±$31k 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. |
$1,239±$519 12% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,519Highest 45% 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% |
55.6%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Wendell 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% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wendell 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 | #14 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Sunapee School District | Ware | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Sunapee Sr. High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.9Highest |
11.1 |
— |
| 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.