Compare towns
Shirley vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
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 | Shirley | Orange |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 6,976Lowest |
7,573Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±3.4Highest 11% above MA |
41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
| Shirley and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $122,365±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,600±$36kHighest 24% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,481±$421Highest 16% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,156Highest 14% below MA |
$4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Shirley and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 39% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 21%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #239 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | 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.