Compare towns
Orange vs Dummer vs Wells vs Topsham
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 renters (12.2% rent).
Dummer has the highest household income ($91k).
Wells has the most expensive homes ($243k median).
Topsham has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Dummer | Wells | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 957 |
299Lowest |
1,148Highest |
999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 29% above U.S. |
53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2 30% above U.S. |
50.1±5.9Lowest 29% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummer and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$91,250±$21kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
$72,308±$60k 10% below U.S. |
| Dummer and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$22kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$242,200±$51k 27% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42kHighest 27% below U.S. |
$222,900±$56k 33% below U.S. |
| Wells and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153Highest 6% below U.S. |
— | $1,313±$282 7% below U.S. |
$908±$398Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Orange and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545 14% above U.S. |
$2,898Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$3,308 6% above U.S. |
$4,006Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
91.9%±28.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Topsham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
35 min 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsham and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Waits River Union High District #36 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.