Compare towns
Orange vs Middlesex vs Grafton
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 highest household income ($119k).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Grafton has the most renters (16.9% rent).
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 | Middlesex | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
1,943Highest |
1,354 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.1±10.6 11% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Grafton and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,750±$39kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$81,563±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Orange and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,600±$35k 9% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$267,300±$23kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,243±$163Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132Lowest 65% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$5,239 68% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.1%±34.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Grafton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
43 minHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.