Compare towns
Ware vs Middlesex vs Winchendon vs Orange
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Winchendon has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
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 | Ware | Middlesex | Winchendon | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
1,943Lowest |
10,440Highest |
7,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$323,800±$19k about the U.S. average |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163 11% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #269 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Winchendon | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Murdock High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | 11.3Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.