Compare towns
Pelham vs Orange vs Whately
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Pelham | Orange | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,335Lowest |
7,573Highest |
1,499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±8.4 13% above MA |
41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
| Whately and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Whately and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24k 9% above MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
| Whately and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,600±$33kHighest 20% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
| Pelham and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,205±$560Highest 32% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$977±$125 45% below MA |
| Pelham and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,472Highest 25% above MA |
$4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
$5,027 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±35.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Pelham and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.1% MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham and Whately 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Pelham | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Whately |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.