Compare towns
Ware vs Windham vs Orange vs North Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most renters (42.6% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
North Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 45.2).
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 | Ware | Windham | Orange | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
594Lowest |
7,573Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
45.2±9.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| North Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| North Brookfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10k 31% below U.S. |
$79,285±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 24% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$359,100±$32kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| North Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Highest 26% below U.S. |
— | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$981±$63 31% below U.S. |
| Ware and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
$4,176 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #275 of 282 in MA | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.