Compare towns
Orange vs Plainfield vs Worcester
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).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Plainfield | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
1,314Highest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester 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. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| Orange and Worcester 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. |
$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132Highest 65% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester 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 | 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.