Compare towns
Orleans vs Upton vs Wellfleet vs Brewster
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%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
Brewster has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Upton | Wellfleet | Brewster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415 |
8,189 |
4,404Lowest |
10,420Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 64.7±2.5Highest 62% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
58.4±4.1 46% above MA |
59.6±4.7 49% above MA |
| Orleans and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.6%±2.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Wellfleet 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.3%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
38.6%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Orleans and Brewster 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Wellfleet 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±$13kLowest about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$117,938±$27k 13% above MA |
$103,317±$16k about the MA average |
| Upton and Wellfleet 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 |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$855,300±$70k 52% above MA |
$707,700±$51k 26% above MA |
| Orleans and Wellfleet 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,563±$597 11% below MA |
$1,589±$465Highest 10% below MA |
| Brewster and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,486 8% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,862 19% below MA |
$4,397Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.2%±23.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Brewster and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
85% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 24% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 27.4%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
20.3%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Orleans and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — | #160 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nauset · Orleans | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wellfleet | Brewster |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.