Compare towns
Warren vs Lancaster vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warren has the most renters (35.5% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Warren | Lancaster | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,009Lowest |
8,606Highest |
7,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±8 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lancaster and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,082±$6k 36% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$174 49% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,530 24% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.4 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #165 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | Nashoba | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Quaboag Regional High | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Highest |
— | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.