Compare towns
Orange vs Worcester vs Ripton 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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Worcester | Ripton | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573Highest |
831 |
508Lowest |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Wendell 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% |
12.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Wendell 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% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Wendell 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% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$290,300±$31k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
— | $1,239±$519Highest 12% below U.S. |
| Wendell and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$4,519 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell and Ripton 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% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 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 9% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Ripton 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | 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 | 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.