Compare towns
Troy vs Orange vs Proctor vs Sheldon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
Orange has the most renters (30% rent).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Sheldon has the most people working from home (13%).
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 | Troy | Orange | Proctor | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,749Lowest |
7,573Highest |
1,794 |
2,267 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±5.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
42.4±6.4 9% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Troy and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Proctor and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Proctor and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,938±$11kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$74,167±$12k 8% below U.S. |
$78,533±$25k about the U.S. average |
| Troy and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $233,200±$21k 30% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$209,900±$17kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $646±$323Lowest 54% below U.S. |
$775±$233 45% below U.S. |
$1,029±$202 27% below U.S. |
$1,286±$379Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,644 17% above U.S. |
$4,136Highest 33% above U.S. |
$4,032 29% above U.S. |
$3,578Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orange and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.8%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sheldon and Proctor 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 | Troy School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0Highest |
8.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.