Compare towns
Orange vs Townshend vs Winchendon
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 affordable homes ($246k median).
Townshend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Winchendon has the most expensive homes ($324k 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 | Townshend | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,538Lowest |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
55.6±9.6Highest 43% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±6.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Townshend 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% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$78,750±$29kHighest about the U.S. average |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
| Townshend and Winchendon 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. |
$287,200±$79k 14% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Winchendon and Townshend 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. |
$1,074±$80 24% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Townshend 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. |
$5,364Highest 72% above U.S. |
$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townshend and Winchendon 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% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend and Winchendon 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 | — | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
8.1Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.