Compare towns
Orange vs Wakefield 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).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($101k).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Wakefield | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
5,405Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Wakefield 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% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest 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%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest 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% |
26.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware 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. |
$100,976±$11kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$322,800±$43kHighest about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Ware 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. |
$1,375±$434Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Wakefield 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. |
$2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±82.9Lowest 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% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% 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. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield 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 | #118 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Wakefield School District | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| 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.