Compare towns
Orleans vs Eastham vs Truro
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 affordable homes ($582k median).
Eastham has the most kids (12.5% under 18).
Truro has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Truro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,480Lowest |
5,811Highest |
1,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.1% MA: +7.4% |
+22.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 64±8.9 60% above MA |
60.4±2.5Lowest 51% above MA |
64.1±5.8Highest 60% above MA |
| Truro and Orleans 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% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Eastham and Truro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.1%±14.8 MA: 17.9% |
40.9%±6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
45.6%±10.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Truro and Orleans 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% MA: 47.3% |
57.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±5.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Truro and Eastham 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 |
$118,984±$72kHighest 14% above MA |
| Truro 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±$111kLowest 4% above MA |
$732,200±$63k 30% above MA |
$888,200±$117kHighest 58% above MA |
| Truro and Eastham 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 |
— |
| Eastham and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,427Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,973Highest 17% below MA |
$3,997 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.1%±7.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
83.8%±77.7 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Truro and Eastham 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% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 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%±8.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.2%±22.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Truro and Orleans 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 | Truro |
| 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.