Compare towns
Orleans vs Brewster vs Chatham
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 people working from home (27.4%).
Brewster has the most affordable homes ($708k median).
Chatham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Brewster | Chatham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
10,420Highest |
6,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 64.7±2.5Highest 62% above MA |
59.6±4.7Lowest 49% above MA |
63.4±2.8 59% above MA |
| Orleans and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.6%±2.6 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
8.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Brewster and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 49.3%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
38.6%±4.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
45.5%±5.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Orleans and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.8% MA: 47.3% |
55.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Chatham and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,335±$13k about the MA average |
$103,317±$16kHighest about the MA average |
$85,167±$9kLowest 18% below MA |
| Brewster and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $957,000±$85kHighest 70% above MA |
$707,700±$51kLowest 26% above MA |
$942,800±$78k 68% above MA |
| Orleans and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,502±$703 15% below MA |
$1,589±$465Highest 10% below MA |
$1,485±$209Lowest 16% below MA |
| Brewster and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,486Highest 8% below MA |
$4,397 27% below MA |
$4,094Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±22.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.2%±23.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
58.7%±21.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Brewster and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% MA: 10% |
6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 24% below MA |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
24 minHighest 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 27.4%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.3%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Orleans and Chatham 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 | #160 of 282 in MA | #130 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nauset · Orleans | Brewster | Monomoy Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.