Compare towns
Orange vs Wakefield vs Warwick 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
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 | Warwick | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
5,405 |
776Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.4±4.1 27% above U.S. |
51.4±7.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Warwick and Wakefield 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%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest 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% |
23.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warwick and Ware 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.5%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% |
2.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Warwick 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. |
$93,333±$22k 16% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Warwick 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. |
$322,800±$43k about the U.S. average |
$349,400±$34kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Wakefield 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 |
$1,367±$163 3% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Warwick 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. |
$4,380Highest 40% above U.S. |
$4,237 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% |
33.3%±57.3 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%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% |
89% 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. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
36 min 35% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Warwick and Wakefield 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 | Warwick | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | 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 | 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.