Compare towns
Orange vs Reading vs Wells
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 people working from home (13.5%).
Reading has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Reading | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
1,637Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 29% above U.S. |
46.3±6.4Lowest 19% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Wells and Orange 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% |
17.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Orange 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% |
21.5%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Reading and Wells 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. |
$86,131±$9kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
| Reading 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±$22k 33% below U.S. |
$160,200±$37kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42kHighest 27% below U.S. |
| Wells and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153 6% below U.S. |
$1,507±$514Highest 7% above U.S. |
$1,313±$282Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Reading and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545Highest 14% above U.S. |
$3,219Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$3,308 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Orange and Reading 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 |
| High school in town | None 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.