Compare towns
Orange vs Ware vs Wells vs Washington
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).
Ware has the most expensive homes ($290k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Washington has the most people working from home (14.9%).
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 | Wells | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 957Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,148 |
1,056 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 29% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2 30% above U.S. |
52.9±5.1Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Washington 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±4.2 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% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Washington 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% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Highest 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% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware 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±$13k 12% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$66,103±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Wells 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. |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
$217,700±$37kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Ware and Wells 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. |
$1,313±$282 7% below U.S. |
$996±$285Lowest 30% 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. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$3,485 12% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.5%±63.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Wells 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as 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. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Washington and Orange 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 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 |
| 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.