Compare towns
Orange vs Salisbury 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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | Salisbury | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
1,609Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Lowest 29% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2 30% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Wells 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% |
37.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1Highest 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. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$22kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153 6% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,313±$282Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Orange 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. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Orange 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% |
7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | Merrimack Valley School District | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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 |
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.