What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orange has the most affordable homes ($119k median).

Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Orange	Reading
People
Population	1,196Lowest	1,637Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.5%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+0.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	46.6±6.3Highest 17% above NY	46.3±6.4Lowest 16% above NY
	Orange and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±4Highest NY: 20.5%	17.2%±2.9Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Orange and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±4.1Highest NY: 17.9%	21.5%±2Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Orange and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.8%Lowest NY: 40.2%	37.9%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0%±1.7Lowest NY: 7%	4.2%±2.4Highest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$60,000±$9kLowest 30% below NY	$86,131±$9kHighest about the NY average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$119,200±$17kLowest 72% below NY	$160,200±$37kHighest 62% below NY
	Reading and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$932±$81Lowest 43% below NY	$1,507±$514Highest 7% below NY
	Reading and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,667Lowest 59% below NY	$3,219Highest 51% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.1%±42.6Highest NY: 52.1%	33.9%±19.2Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Orange and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%Highest NY: 14%	5.6%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Highest NY: 54.3%	81.4%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY	1967Lowest 8 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 8% below NY	28 minLowest 13% below NY
Work from home	8.1%±4.3Lowest NY: 14.9%	11.7%±4.6Highest NY: 14.9%
	Reading and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.