Compare towns
Orange vs Webster vs Walden 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).
Webster has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Webster | Walden | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 957Lowest |
2,227Highest |
1,037 |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 29% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% 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% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster 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% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Walden 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% |
30.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden and Webster 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. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
| Webster and Walden 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. |
$338,500±$30kHighest about the U.S. average |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153 6% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282 7% below U.S. |
| Webster 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. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Webster 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.