Compare towns
Orleans vs Eastham vs Ashfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orleans has the most renters (33% rent).
Eastham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.1%).
Ashfield has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
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 | Orleans | Eastham | Ashfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,480Lowest |
5,811Highest |
1,893 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% MA: +7.4% |
+16.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 64±8.9Highest 60% above MA |
60.4±2.5 51% above MA |
58.6±3.4Lowest 47% above MA |
| Orleans and Eastham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 7.8%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
12.5%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Eastham and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.1%±14.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
40.9%±6 MA: 17.9% |
33.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Orleans and Eastham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Eastham and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,359±$16k 25% below MA |
$72,992±$8kLowest 30% below MA |
$80,833±$16kHighest 22% below MA |
| Ashfield and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $582,000±$111k 4% above MA |
$732,200±$63kHighest 30% above MA |
$400,600±$30kLowest 29% below MA |
| Eastham and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,040±$876Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,747±$101Highest about the MA average |
$1,100±$200 38% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,427Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
$5,197Highest 13% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.1%±7.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
83.8%±77.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±34 MA: 51.8% |
| Eastham and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
9.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 35% below MA |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 25.9%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24%±6 MA: 18.6% |
| Orleans and Ashfield 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 | #158 of 282 in MA | #17 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Eastham · Nauset | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | — | Nauset Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.