Compare towns
Orange vs Seneca vs Howard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($119k median).
Seneca has the most expensive homes ($193k median).
Howard has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Seneca | Howard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,196Lowest |
2,622Highest |
1,254 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-5.3% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.6±6.3 17% above NY |
44.5±6.2Lowest 12% above NY |
49.1±3.1Highest 23% above NY |
| Howard and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±4 NY: 20.5% |
19.5%±3.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Seneca and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.1 NY: 17.9% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
24.6%±3.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Howard and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8% NY: 40.2% |
22.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
14.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
2.2%±1.4Highest NY: 7% |
0.8%±1.3 NY: 7% |
| Seneca and Howard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,000±$9kLowest 30% below NY |
$90,658±$21kHighest 5% above NY |
$73,906±$5k 14% below NY |
| Seneca and Howard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $119,200±$17kLowest 72% below NY |
$192,700±$9kHighest 55% below NY |
$128,100±$25k 70% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $932±$81 43% below NY |
$1,549±$420Highest 4% below NY |
$775±$242Lowest 52% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,667 59% below NY |
$2,810Highest 57% below NY |
$2,605Lowest 60% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.1%±42.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
7.2%±24.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
7.9%±64.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Orange and Howard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% NY: 14% |
6.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
12.9%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
85.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
1945Lowest 14 yrs older than NY |
1974 15 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 8% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
23 minLowest 31% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.3 NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±3.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.6%±3.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Seneca 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 | 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.