Compare towns
Orange vs Woonsocket vs Dudley vs Wendell
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).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Dudley has the highest household income ($85k).
Wendell has the most people working from home (16.8%).
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 | Woonsocket | Dudley | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
43,521Highest |
11,929 |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Wendell and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Orange 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% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wendell 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% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Wendell 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. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$290,300±$31k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,239±$519Highest 12% below U.S. |
| Wendell and Dudley 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. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,519Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell and Dudley 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% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wendell and Dudley 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #142 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Dudley-Charlton Reg | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Woonsocket High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
15.2Highest |
14.3 |
— |
| 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.