Compare towns
Orange vs Ware vs Wells vs Warren
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).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Warren has the most expensive homes ($334k 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 | Ware | Wells | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
10,048Highest |
1,148Lowest |
5,009 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
38.7±7.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Wells 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% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±8 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Warren 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% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells 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% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Wells 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. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$66,082±$6k 18% below U.S. |
| Wells and Ware 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. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$333,700±$35kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Warren 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. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
$890±$174 37% below U.S. |
| Wells 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. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$4,530Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Wells 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% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Wells 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 | — | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Ware | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Quaboag Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— | 10.0 |
| 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.