Compare towns
Petersham vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Petersham has the most people working from home (16.2%).
Orange has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Petersham | Orange |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,185Lowest |
7,573Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Petersham and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $110,750±$20kHighest 7% above MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,400±$20kHighest 30% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$441Highest 5% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,636Highest 23% below MA |
$4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Orange and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Petersham | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.