Compare towns
Orange vs Surry 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 affordable homes ($222k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Wells has the most homeowners (93.4%).
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 | Surry | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
1,052 |
1,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 29% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1Lowest 15% 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% |
20.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Surry 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% |
23.3%±7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Surry 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% |
31.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry 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. |
$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
| Surry 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. |
$331,400±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153 6% below U.S. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,313±$282Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545 14% above U.S. |
$6,384Highest 105% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Surry 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% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest 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. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Surry 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 |
| 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.