Compare towns
Orange vs Townshend vs Windham vs Warren
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 the most people working from home (28%).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Warren has the most renters (35.5% rent).
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 | Windham | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573Highest |
1,538 |
594Lowest |
5,009 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
55.6±9.6Highest 43% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
38.7±7.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Townshend and Windham 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% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±8 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±6.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Warren and Orange 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. |
$78,750±$29k about the U.S. average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$66,082±$6k 18% below U.S. |
| Windham and Townshend 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. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$333,700±$35k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Warren 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±$80Highest 24% below U.S. |
— | $890±$174 37% below U.S. |
| Townshend and Warren 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. |
$5,364 72% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,530 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townshend and Windham 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend and Windham 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 | — | — | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — | Quaboag Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
8.1Lowest |
— | 10.0Highest |
| 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.