Compare towns
Orange vs Williamstown 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).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Ware has the most expensive homes ($290k 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 | Williamstown | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
3,579Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42±5 8% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Ware and Williamstown 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% |
19.9%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Williamstown 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% |
17%±3.9Lowest 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% |
17.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williamstown and Ware 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. |
$94,418±$10kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$234,900±$24kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Ware and Orange 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. |
$1,659±$189Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 33% above U.S. |
$3,841Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williamstown and Ware 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% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williamstown 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 | #47 of 70 in VT | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Williamstown Middle/High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
9.5 |
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.