Compare towns
Orange vs Ware vs Westminster
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).
Ware has the most renters (42.6% rent).
Westminster has the highest household income ($81k).
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 | Ware | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573Highest |
6,369 |
497Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.3±11.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10k 31% below U.S. |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$81,000±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Westminster and Orange 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. |
$253,400±$31k 24% below U.S. |
$313,600±$39kHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233 45% below U.S. |
$1,039±$104Highest 26% below U.S. |
$749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Ware and Orange 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. |
$3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,480Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest 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% |
14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | — |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | — |
| 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.