Compare towns
Orange vs Walden vs Warwick
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).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Warwick has the most expensive homes ($349k 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 | Walden | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573Highest |
1,037 |
776Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
51.4±7.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Warwick and Walden 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% |
14.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warwick and Walden 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% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden 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. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
$93,333±$22kHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Warwick and Walden 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. |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$349,400±$34kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$1,367±$163Highest 3% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 33% above U.S. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,380Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden 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% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Warwick and Walden 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 | — | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Warwick |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.

