Compare towns
Orange vs Ware vs Washington vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most expensive homes ($290k median).
Washington has the oldest population (median age 52.9).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Ware | Washington | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 957Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,056 |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 29% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
52.9±5.1Highest 36% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
| Washington 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Washington 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% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Washington and Ware 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% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13k 12% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$66,103±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Walden and Orange 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. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$217,700±$37kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Ware and Walden 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. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$996±$285 30% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545 14% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,485Lowest 12% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.5%±63.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Walden 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% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Ware | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.