Compare towns
Orange vs Troy vs Ware vs Dudley
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).
Troy has the most homeowners (86.6%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k 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 | Troy | Ware | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,749Lowest |
10,048 |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
44.5±5.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Troy and Ware 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% |
21.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Troy 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% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware 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% |
20.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$87,938±$11kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Troy and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$233,200±$21kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233 45% below U.S. |
$646±$323Lowest 54% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Ware 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. |
$3,644Lowest 17% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.8%±26.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Dudley 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% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Dudley 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Troy School District | Ware | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.1 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.